Several Cartersville pharmacies are distributing free N95 masks to help prevent further spread of COVID-19. The masks are free to the public, though each location appears to have different guidelines on the amount available to each person or household.
At the end of last month, the Biden administration announced these face coverings would be available for free at pharmacies and community health centers across the country. This comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its recommendations for personal protective equipment guidelines. This guidance outlined that respirators like N95s are more protective than surgical masks, which are superior to cloth masks.
As of Monday afternoon, Walgreens and Kroger in Cartersville had received their shipments of the masks, though CVS – which is across the street from the Walgreens on N Tennessee St – had not yet seen its allotment. Locally-owned West End Pharmacy is also slated to receive the free masks, but pharmacy employees were unsure of when they would be in.
A Walgreens employee told WBHF they are giving out three masks per person. A Kroger pharmacist said masks are available at the front of the store near customer service and each household is reportedly limited to a sleeve, roughly ten masks. These masks do not appear to vary in size.