Get Free N95 Masks At NC Publix, Harris Teeter, Walmart And More Friday

NORTH CAROLINA — Many North Carolinians are trying to stock up on N95 masks, which are deemed the most effective at preventing the spread of the coronavirus by experts. Pharmacies and stores including Harris Teeter, Walgreens, Publix and CVS will offer the masks Friday for free at participating stores across the country.

"We are pleased to partner with the [Biden] Administration to make N95 masks in varying sizes available free of charge at participating Walgreens locations while supplies last," a spokesperson for the Illinois-based company told Patch.

Customers and patients can pick up a maximum of three masks per person.

Walmart, CVS, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walgreens and other pharmacies will begin offering the masks by Friday for free at participating stores in North Carolina.

Among the pharmacy companies participating in the mask distribution are:

• Harris Teeter
• Costco
• CVS
• Walgreens
• Publix
• Ingles
• Walmart

Find a full list of free mask giveaways on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Last week, the White House announced that 400 million N95 masks would be made available for free to all Americans. The masks are being released from the Strategic National Stockpile. In addition to pharmacies such as Walgreens, they can be picked up at local community health centers.

The nationwide N95 mask distribution is part of a wider COVID-19 response plan that included last week's rollout of a website where Americans can sign up to receive free coronavirus rapid tests, the Associated Press reported.

The CDC updated its face covering guidance Jan. 14, clearly stating that properly fitted N95 and KN95 masks offer the most protection against COVID-19, but it stopped short of recommending them over cloth masks.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said last week the best mask "is the one that you will wear and the one you keep on all day long, that you can tolerate in public indoor settings."