Strategic National Stockpile Makes High-quality Masks Available to Americans

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On Jan. 18, 2022, the Biden Administration announced that the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) will make more than 400 million NIOSH-approved N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) available to the American people for free.

The N95 masks, which began shipping from SNS facilities on Jan. 20, will be made available at thousands of retail pharmacies and community health centers nationwide. It’s one way the administration is making higher quality masks available to the American people. This effort represents the largest deployment by the SNS to date, and it’s also the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history.

Participating Retail Partners

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (including Osco, Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Safeway, Tom Thumb, Star Market, Shaw’s, Haggen, Acme, Randalls, Carrs, Market Street, United, Vons, Pavilions, Amigos, Lucky’s, Pak n Save, Sav-On)
CPESN USA, LLC (Value Drug, Morris & Dickson, Smith Drug, Louisiana Wholesale Drug, Mutual Drug, Lewis Drug, Dakota Drug)
CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (including Long’s)
GeriMed (long-term care and retail pharmacies)
Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation’s pharmacy services administrative organization (PSAO), Elevate Provider Network
Health Mart Pharmacies
H-E-B, LP
Hy-Vee, Inc.
Kroger Co. (including Kroger, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Ralphs, King Soopers, Smiths, City Market, Dillons, Mariano’s, Pick-n-Save, Copps, Metro Market, QFC)
Managed Health Care Associates (retail and long-term care pharmacies)
Meijer, Inc.
Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Retail Business Services, LLC (including Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Hannaford Bros Co, Stop & Shop)
Rite Aid Corp.
Southeastern Grocers (Winn-Dixie, Harveys, Fresco Y Mas)
Topco Associates, LLC (including Acme Fresh Markets, Associated Food Stores, Bashas, Big-Y Pharmacy and Wellness Center, Brookshire’s Pharmacy, Super One Pharmacy, FRESH by Brookshire’s Pharmacy, Coborn’s Pharmacy, Cash Wise Pharmacy, MarketPlace Pharmacy, Giant Eagle, Hartig Drug Company, King Kullen, Food City Pharmacy, Ingles Pharmacy, Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Pharmacies, Save Mart Pharmacies, Lucky Pharmacies, SpartanNash, Price Chopper, Market 32, Tops Friendly Markets, ShopRite, Wegmans, Weis Markets, Inc.)
Walgreens (including Duane Reade)
Walmart, Inc. (including Sam’s Club)

In addition, we are partnering with Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-supported Health Centers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get one of these masks?

These free NIOSH-approved, non-surgical N95 masks are being distributed to most pharmacies participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Based on the participating retailers listed above, please check with your local pharmacy on whether it has a supply of these N95 masks available to the public for free. Community health centers also will receive an allocation of N95 masks.

How many masks can I get?

Three masks will be available per person for free. These high-quality masks also are in ample supply and widely available for purchase.

When will masks be available?

N95 masks began shipping out from the SNS on Jan. 20. The SNS will continue shipping N95s for weeks to come.

Where are these masks coming from?

These American-made N95 masks are being distributed from the SNS, the federal government’s emergency reserve of medical supplies for health emergencies. This initiative is made possible thanks to steps taken to restore the SNS over the past year. Since Jan. 2021, the SNS has tripled the number of N95 masks held in the SNS to more than 750 million.

With these 400 million N95 masks coming from the SNS, do you have enough for healthcare workers?

This current deployment will not touch the almost 350 million surgical, FDA-approved N95 masks currently held in the SNS and intended for use by healthcare workers. Today, our healthcare workers have the masks they need, and ASPR is ready to deploy additional supplies from the SNS in the event healthcare supplies run short and commercial availability cannot meet demand.

Related Resources

HHS Information:

How to Properly Wear Your Free N95 Mask

CDC Information

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