Biden to give away 400 million N95 masks starting next week
2 years, 11 months ago

Biden to give away 400 million N95 masks starting next week

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to U.S. residents starting next week, now that federal officials are emphasizing their better protection against the omicron variant of COVID-19 over cloth face coverings. President Joe Biden embraced the initiative after facing mounting criticism this month over the inaccessibility — both in supply and cost — of N95 masks as the highly transmissible omicron variant swept across the country. The White House said the masks will be made available at pharmacies and community health centers that have partnered with the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign. The White House said that “to ensure broad access for all Americans, there will be three masks available per person.” N95 or KN95 masks are more widely available now than at any other time during the pandemic, though they are often more costly than less-protective surgical masks or cloth masks.

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History of this topic

Amid Covid apprehensions, demand for masks and sanitizers rises
1 year, 11 months ago

Amid Covid apprehensions, demand for masks and sanitizers rises

Deccan Chronicle  

HYDERABAD: Amid fears of a surge in Covid cases in the next 40 days, people have started buying sanitizers and masks. “It is only since the last one week that people have started buying masks and sanitizers. Although we have sufficient stock, we have placed orders seeing the demands for sanitizers, masks and liquid hand wash,” said Sudarshan B, in …

US government plans to make high-quality masks available for kids, White House adviser says
2 years, 10 months ago

US government plans to make high-quality masks available for kids, White House adviser says

CNN  

CNN — High-quality masks for children soon might be easier to find in the United States, if government plans come to fruition. The US government plans to make high-quality face masks available for children, and “that process is underway,” Dr. Tom Inglesby, senior adviser to the White House Covid-19 Response Team, told CNN on Wednesday. “Already, 230 million masks have …

Free N95 masks to be made available at pharmacies, White House says
2 years, 11 months ago

Free N95 masks to be made available at pharmacies, White House says

Live Mint  

BY SABRINA SIDDIQUI | UPDATED JAN 19, 2022 05:00 AM EST Distribution of 400 million masks comes as the Biden administration is also offering free rapid tests to combat the spread of Covid-19 The Biden administration on Wednesday is expected to announce plans to make 400 million N95 masks available free at pharmacies and community health centers across the country, …

White House to distribute 400 million N95 masks for free, starting next week
2 years, 11 months ago

White House to distribute 400 million N95 masks for free, starting next week

LA Times  

The Biden administration plans to start distributing next week millions of N95 masks, like the one nurse Lindsay Bowker is shown wearing in Kirkland, Wash. The Biden administration plans to distribute 400 million high-quality masks to Americans for free starting next week in the hopes of offering better protection against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the White House announced …

Joe Biden to give away 400 million N95 masks starting next week
2 years, 11 months ago

Joe Biden to give away 400 million N95 masks starting next week

India TV News  

Highlights 400 million N95 masks will be available for free to Americans starting next week. The Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to Americans starting next week, now that federal officials are emphasizing their better protection against the omicron variant of COVID-19 over cloth face coverings. The White House said the masks will be …

CDC Acknowledges Cloth Masks Are Less Effective Than Others
2 years, 11 months ago

CDC Acknowledges Cloth Masks Are Less Effective Than Others

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conceded Friday that cloth masks are less effective than surgical or respirator masks as protection against COVID-19. “Loosely woven cloth products provide the least protection, layered finely woven products offer more protection, well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s offer even more protection, and well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators offer the highest level …

CDC encourages more Americans to consider N95 masks
2 years, 11 months ago

CDC encourages more Americans to consider N95 masks

LA Times  

Registered nurse Scott McGieson wears an N95 mask as he walks out of a patient’s room in the acute care unit of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Friday. U.S. health officials on Friday encouraged more Americans to wear the kind of N95 or KN95 masks used by healthcare workers to slow the spread of the coronavirus. In updated guidance …

Biden says his administration will make free high-quality face masks available to all Americans
2 years, 11 months ago

Biden says his administration will make free high-quality face masks available to all Americans

CNN  

Washington CNN — President Joe Biden on Thursday announced his administration would make “high-quality masks” available to Americans for free, as the US struggles to contain the new surge of the Omicron variant and hospitalizations from Covid-19 reach new highs. “I know we all wish could finally be done with wearing masks, I get it, but they are a really …

'What about the general public?': Members of Congress to get KN95 masks amid Omicron wave
2 years, 11 months ago

'What about the general public?': Members of Congress to get KN95 masks amid Omicron wave

Raw Story  

With Capitol Hill—like much of the United States—experiencing a major spike in Covid-19 cases, members of Congress and their offices are reportedly set to receive KN95 masks to help stem the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant. According to an email sent to House staffers last week and obtained by the Washington Post, "The Chief Administrative Officer has updated …

Big push for Californians to switch to N95 or KN95 masks as Omicron surge worsens
2 years, 11 months ago

Big push for Californians to switch to N95 or KN95 masks as Omicron surge worsens

LA Times  

Visitors to Chinatown wear masks. And for other activities, this may mean postponing your participation until community transmission is much reduced.” Last month, California’s public health director and health officer, Dr. Tomás Aragón, wrote that with the increasing airborne spread of the coronavirus, it’s important to improve the fit of masks and their filtration — making enhancements that go beyond …

Are 500 million at-home coronavirus test kits enough? 4 things to know about Biden’s Omicron strategy
3 years ago

Are 500 million at-home coronavirus test kits enough? 4 things to know about Biden’s Omicron strategy

LA Times  

President Biden speaks about the COVID-19 response and vaccinations Tuesday at the White House in Washington. Warning in a speech from the White House that the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus “is serious and potentially deadly business for unvaccinated people,” President Biden announced a winter strategy that he hopes will mitigate risks from the new wave of infections. The …

Mask mandate: Biden to extend existing requirements for travelers through March
3 years ago

Mask mandate: Biden to extend existing requirements for travelers through March

CNN  

CNN — The Biden administration will extend existing requirements for travelers to wear masks on airplanes, buses, trains and boats, as well as in airports and other transportation hubs, through March to address concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant. In August, the Transportation Security Administration extended its US federal transportation mask mandate through January 18 “to minimize the spread of …

Health ministry faces having to destroy millions of unused surgical masks
3 years, 1 month ago

Health ministry faces having to destroy millions of unused surgical masks

Dutch News  

The Dutch government will have to destroy much of its stock of 848 million face masks because it is unable to give them away during a pandemic, the Volkskrant reported on Tuesday. A recent audit of PPE gear found that the Netherlands has enough supplies of surgical masks to keep hospitals stocked for more a century and 50 years’ worth …

Health ministry faces having to destroy millions of unused surgical masks
3 years, 1 month ago

Health ministry faces having to destroy millions of unused surgical masks

Dutch News  

The Dutch government will have to destroy much of its stock of 848 million face masks because it is unable to give them away during a pandemic, the Volkskrant reported on Tuesday. A recent audit of PPE gear found that the Netherlands has enough supplies of surgical masks to keep hospitals stocked for more a century and 50 years’ worth …

US mask makers say they are being clobbered by cheaper competition from China
3 years, 3 months ago

US mask makers say they are being clobbered by cheaper competition from China

CNN  

CNN — When the pandemic first hit last year, Brian Wolin was working as a chiropractor, and his brother-in-law, Evan Shulman, ran a business making luxury retail displays for brands, such as Gucci and Chanel. That’s when they decided to launch Protective Health Gear, turning over a large part of Shulman’s manufacturing space to the production of masks, specifically N95 …

Biden will announce new CDC mask guidance Tuesday, sources say
3 years, 7 months ago

Biden will announce new CDC mask guidance Tuesday, sources say

CNN  

CNN — President Joe Biden is expected to announce Tuesday that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance for wearing masks outdoors, three people familiar with the expected announcement said. The three people familiar with the expected announcement said Biden will announce new CDC guidance on whether vaccinated people need to wear masks outdoors, though …

FDA: N95 masks, now plentiful, should no longer be reused
3 years, 8 months ago

FDA: N95 masks, now plentiful, should no longer be reused

Associated Press  

The Biden administration has taken the first step toward ending an emergency exception that allowed hospitals to ration and reuse N95 medical masks, the first line of defense between frontline workers and the deadly coronavirus. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending health care personnel and facilities transition away from crisis capacity conservation strategies,” said the agency in a …

The US has N95 masks available – you just can’t find them
3 years, 9 months ago

The US has N95 masks available – you just can’t find them

CNN  

CNN — Nearly a year ago, Brian Wolin got involved because he wanted to help. A chiropractor for 22 years, Wolin partnered with his brother-in-law to form Protective Health Gear, a New Jersey company set on making N95 masks to help health care workers in the coronavirus pandemic. After months of thorough paperwork and rigorous testing of his N95 mask, …

'Possible' Americans Will be Wearing Masks in 2022 to Protect Against Covid-19, Says Fauci
3 years, 10 months ago

'Possible' Americans Will be Wearing Masks in 2022 to Protect Against Covid-19, Says Fauci

News 18  

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that it’s “possible” Americans will still need to wear masks in 2022 to protect against the coronavirus, even as the US may reach “a significant degree of normality” by the end of this year. Asked by CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” whether he thinks Americans will still need to wear masks next …

Fauci: ‘Possible’ Americans will be wearing masks in 2022 to protect against Covid-19
3 years, 10 months ago

Fauci: ‘Possible’ Americans will be wearing masks in 2022 to protect against Covid-19

CNN  

Washington CNN — Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that it’s “possible” Americans will still need to wear masks in 2022 to protect against the coronavirus, even as the US may reach “a significant degree of normality” by the end of this year. Asked by CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” whether he thinks Americans will still need to …

US govt seizes roughly 10M phony N95 masks in COVID-19 probe
3 years, 10 months ago

US govt seizes roughly 10M phony N95 masks in COVID-19 probe

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Hospitals still ration medical N95 masks as stockpiles swell
3 years, 10 months ago

Hospitals still ration medical N95 masks as stockpiles swell

Associated Press  

Mike Bowen’s warehouse outside Fort Worth, Texas, was piled high with cases of medical-grade N95 face masks. Turner’s employer, North Memorial Health, said in a statement that supplies have stabilized, but the company is still limiting use because “we must remain mindful of that supply” to ensure everyone’s safety. Chester “Trey” Moeller, a political appointee who served as the CDC’s …

The US may soon have its first standards for consumer face masks. Are they strict enough?
3 years, 10 months ago

The US may soon have its first standards for consumer face masks. Are they strict enough?

CNN  

CNN — American consumers may be about to get the first standards for face masks. ASTM International, an international technical standards organization, and the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, are working on standards to “establish minimum design, performance, labeling, user instruction, reporting and classification, and conformity assessment requirements for barrier face coverings.” In other words, they hope to be able …

US health agency orders travellers wear masks on public transport
3 years, 10 months ago

US health agency orders travellers wear masks on public transport

Al Jazeera  

CDC order comes as Biden administration seeks to stem high COVID-19 case numbers amid discovery of new virus variants. People across the United States will soon be required to wear masks on nearly all forms of public transportation, including planes, subways and buses, as the country grapples with high COVID-19 infection rates and growing concerns over new variants of the …

Biden acts to expand COVID-19 vaccine distribution
3 years, 10 months ago

Biden acts to expand COVID-19 vaccine distribution

LA Times  

President Biden is encouraging Americans to wear masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus. President Biden announced Tuesday that his administration will rush additional vaccine doses to states, territories and tribal governments and purchase 200 million more, ramping up its effort to inoculate more Americans more quickly as the death toll from COVID-19 continues to rise. Biden said the …

The face mask that could end the Covid-19 pandemic
3 years, 11 months ago

The face mask that could end the Covid-19 pandemic

CNN  

CNN — Getting Americans masked up is a top priority for the Biden administration. Some experts like Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School physician Dr. Abraar Karan have been advocating for public use of N95 masks from the start of the pandemic. Former US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb wrote in an op-ed in the …

Biden galvanises COVID fight with US mask mandate, WHO ties
3 years, 11 months ago

Biden galvanises COVID fight with US mask mandate, WHO ties

Al Jazeera  

Biden signs federal mask mandate, establishes new White House office on COVID-19, and halts US withdrawal from WHO. Wednesday “starts a new day, a new, different approach to managing the country’s response to COVID-19 crisis”, said Jeff Zients, who heads Biden’s pandemic team. Fauci will lay out how the new administration intends to work with the WHO on reforms, supporting …

Biden to mend World Health Organization ties, ask Fauci to speak
3 years, 11 months ago

Biden to mend World Health Organization ties, ask Fauci to speak

Live Mint  

President-elect Joe Biden plans to take immediate steps Wednesday after he is inaugurated to re-engage with the World Health Organization and send top US medical expert Anthony Fauci to speak to the group in a strong repudiation of Donald Trump’s snubs during the coronavirus pandemic. In announcing these changes, Biden is underscoring that he intends to set a new science-based …

Masks on federal property: Biden’s first executive order
3 years, 11 months ago

Masks on federal property: Biden’s first executive order

CNN  

CNN — President-elect Joe Biden, who plans to make the coronavirus pandemic his top priority, will begin his presidency by asking Americans to wear masks for 100 days and requiring their use on federal property. His first executive order, the “100 Days Masking Challenge,” will symbolize the administration’s sharp turn from the Trump era by emphasizing recommendations by public health …

Column: Why the U.S. still hasn’t solved its mask and glove shortages
4 years ago

Column: Why the U.S. still hasn’t solved its mask and glove shortages

LA Times  

Frontline medical personnel like these at Loma Linda University Medical Center rely on personal protective equipment while treating COVID-19 patients. In a survey last month, more than half of hospitals’ infection prevention specialists reported that they were wearing their N95 protective masks designed for one-time use five times or more. “The U.S. continues to face shortages of personal protective equipment, …

Biden to push masks, vaccines, school reopenings in COVID-19 plan
4 years ago

Biden to push masks, vaccines, school reopenings in COVID-19 plan

Al Jazeera  

US president-elect announces picks for key health roles and urges Congress to provide more funding for vaccines. Speaking from his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, President-elect Biden said his top goals, developed with US infectious disease scientist Dr Anthony Fauci, involve distributing vaccines, reopening schools and requiring mask-wearing “where possible”. Wear a mask for just 100 days’.” Biden wants to …

Among first acts, Biden to call for 100 days of mask-wearing
4 years ago

Among first acts, Biden to call for 100 days of mask-wearing

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Joe Biden said Thursday that he will ask Americans to commit to 100 days of wearing masks as one of his first acts as president, stopping just short of the nationwide mandate he’s pushed before to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Fauci told NBC’s “Today” show on Friday, “I said yes right on the spot.” Regarding a …

To Combat The Pandemic, Biden Will Aim To Depoliticize Mask-Wearing
4 years ago

To Combat The Pandemic, Biden Will Aim To Depoliticize Mask-Wearing

NPR  

To Combat The Pandemic, Biden Will Aim To Depoliticize Mask-Wearing Enlarge this image toggle caption Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images It was Memorial Day when then-candidate Joe Biden made his first public appearance since the coronavirus shut down in-person campaigning. "Wearing one of these masks when you're outside is not a partisan issue," Biden said …

Covid: Biden urges Americans to wear a mask amid vaccine breakthrough, warning of ‘very dark winter’ ahead
4 years, 1 month ago

Covid: Biden urges Americans to wear a mask amid vaccine breakthrough, warning of ‘very dark winter’ ahead

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After a briefing from …

‘Wear a mask’: Biden urges coronavirus caution as he praises vaccine progress
4 years, 1 month ago

‘Wear a mask’: Biden urges coronavirus caution as he praises vaccine progress

LA Times  

The swift unveiling of Biden’s coronavirus advisory board signals the urgency of the issue and its importance in propelling him to the White House. In his first address to the nation since declaring victory, President-elect Joe Biden warned that widespread distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine was still months away, and he implored Americans to wear masks to contain the spread …

India Donates 1.8 Million N95 Masks to Philadelphia City in US to Help in Fight Against Covid-19
4 years, 2 months ago

India Donates 1.8 Million N95 Masks to Philadelphia City in US to Help in Fight Against Covid-19

News 18  

India has donated 1.8 million N95 masks to Philadelphia, the largest city in the US state of Pennsylvania, to help in its fight against COVID-19, setting another example of a robust Indo-US partnership in the health sector. The move comes after the Mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, made a request to India for supply of masks to be used by …

Biden urges Trump to support nationwide mask mandate
4 years, 2 months ago

Biden urges Trump to support nationwide mask mandate

The Hindu  

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Monday urged President Donald Trump to support a nationwide mask mandate to effectively launch a fight against the coronavirus pandemic. “My prayers continue to be with the president and the First Lady for their health and safety as they are like so many American families who are dealing with COVID-19,” Mr Biden said at …

Masks in the mail: The pandemic inflection point that might have been
4 years, 3 months ago

Masks in the mail: The pandemic inflection point that might have been

Salon  

This article was co-produced with Press Watch, an independent site that monitors and critiques American political coverage. Eventually, they wrote about this: At one point in April, USPS leaders drafted a news release announcing plans to distribute 650 million masks nationwide, enough to offer five face coverings to every American household. "There was concern from some in the White House …

Washington Post: WH nixed plan to distribute 650 million face masks through USPS
4 years, 3 months ago

Washington Post: WH nixed plan to distribute 650 million face masks through USPS

CNN  

Washington CNN — The United States Postal Service had planned to distribute 650 million face coverings for the Trump administration in April to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to newly obtained internal documents reviewed by CNN. “There was concern from some in the White House Domestic Policy Council and the office of the vice president that households …

Scarcity of raw material still squeezes N95 mask makers
4 years, 3 months ago

Scarcity of raw material still squeezes N95 mask makers

Associated Press  

FRESNO, Calif. — White House officials say U.S. hospitals have all the medical supplies needed to battle the deadly virus, but frontline workers, hospital officials and even the Food and Drug Administration say that’s not the case. Pressure on the medical supply chain continues today, and in “many ways things have only gotten worse,” the American Medical Association president, Dr. …

COVID-19 pandemic prompts designers to reimagine PPE, make it more effective and accessible
4 years, 3 months ago

COVID-19 pandemic prompts designers to reimagine PPE, make it more effective and accessible

Firstpost  

In March, as Covid-19 cases spiked and supplies of N95 protective masks dwindled at the Bay Area hospital where her brother-in-law works, Megan Duong launched a local search for N95s. It’s now possible to find startups crowdfunding for or selling a silver-plated antimicrobial glove, a facemask hidden in the brim of a hat, and a protective bubble that covers the …

Scarcity of key material squeezes medical mask manufacturing
4 years, 3 months ago

Scarcity of key material squeezes medical mask manufacturing

Associated Press  

FRESNO, Calif. — Rachel Spray is still grieving the loss of her fellow nurse who died after being exposed to the novel coronavirus at Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center in California. Pressure on the medical supply chain continues today, and in “many ways things have only gotten worse,” the American Medical Association’s president, Dr. Susan Bailey, said in a recent …

Biden calls for nationwide mask mandate
4 years, 4 months ago

Biden calls for nationwide mask mandate

Associated Press  

— Joe Biden is calling for a nationwide protective mask mandate, citing health experts’ predictions that it could save 40,000 lives from coronavirus over the next three months. Step up, do the right thing.” “Every single American should be wearing a mask when they’re outside for the next three months at a minimum — every governor should mandate mandatory mask …

California paid a price for mask shortage in dollars and lives, coronavirus study finds
4 years, 4 months ago

California paid a price for mask shortage in dollars and lives, coronavirus study finds

LA Times  

At least 15,800 essential workers would not have contracted COVID-19 if California had stockpiled enough masks and other protective equipment, while the state would have saved $93 million weekly on unemployment claims for out of work healthcare workers and avoided overpaying for supplies, according to a UC Berkeley Labor Center study released Wednesday. Lawmakers currently pushing a bill that would …

Amid Victorian coronavirus deaths, pressure mounts for respirator masks to protect Australian doctors
4 years, 4 months ago

Amid Victorian coronavirus deaths, pressure mounts for respirator masks to protect Australian doctors

ABC  

It's a workplace uniform which has scared little children, but for Perth doctor Sean Stevens the alternative to not wearing it is far more terrifying. Key points: Healthcare workers are concerned about the risk of a WA outbreak Healthcare workers are concerned about the risk of a WA outbreak The Government has ramped up procurement of PPE for the sector …

Don’t blame the government for ordering 50 million unusable masks, we all know they’re an engineering nightmare
4 years, 4 months ago

Don’t blame the government for ordering 50 million unusable masks, we all know they’re an engineering nightmare

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The government …

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