Biden Plan: Make Hi Quality Masks Widely Avail, Free For Americans; How Long Safely Reuse KN95 N95

[appalachiablue]

- Jan. 13, 2022. President Biden announced that his administration would be announcing plans to help make "high-quality masks" available to the public for free in the coming days and urged Americans to continue to wear masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. MSNBC.
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- How Often Can You Safely Reuse KN95, N95 Masks? *Biden Plan, High Quality Masks Available, Free: Washington Post Jan. 13, 2022. -Ed. * FREE ACCESS Article

Surging coronavirus cases in the United States, driven by the highly contagious omicron variant, have prompted renewed recommendations from health experts that the public should consider wearing more protective face coverings, such as N95 or KN95 masks.
President Biden also said his administration is working on making such higher-quality masks more widely available. “Next week, we’ll announce how we are making high-quality masks available to the American people for free,” Biden said Thursday. “I know we all wish that we could finally be done with wearing masks. I get it. But they are a really important tool to stop the spread, especially of the highly transmittable omicron variant.”

The administration noted this week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “recommends Americans wear a well-fitting mask.” Biden acknowledged Thursday that “for some Americans, the mask is not always affordable or convenient to get.”
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* Health experts say while there are no hard and fast rules, there are best practices for safely getting multiple uses out of N95s or KN95s.
- Masks and covid-19: Explaining the latest guidance -
- WHAT TO KNOW
How many times can I reuse my mask?
What are some best practices for safely reusing my mask?
Where should I store masks between uses?
How do I know when it’s time to throw out my mask?
Coronavirus: What you need to read
Coronavirus maps: Cases and deaths in the U.S. | Cases and deaths worldwide...

Read More, https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/01/13/kn95-n95-mask-reuse-omicron/

[appalachiablue]

1. To Note, from the Article:

> Knight has stressed that people should wash and sanitize their hands after taking off a mask and recommended removing the mask from the ear loops or elastic bands to avoid touching the outside of the mask that may be contaminated.

[rainin]

2. We have plenty. Any ideas where I should donate mine to someone who needs an extra one? n/t

[appalachiablue]

3. Contact non profits, and local agencies on aging

and social services re suggestions to help people in need. Maybe even try a local thrift shop or Salvation Army. It's great to give these out, it helps.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Thanks for all the information

I found KN95 masks from the very beginning - good thing since New York has a mask mandate - but I've often wondered how long an individual mask is effective. Like a lot of us, my pockets are full of masks.

[appalachiablue]

5. Well they're supposed to be 'single use' If you can

swing that. But as they said, if you only wear one a short while and let it rest, or rotate masks, etc. it can work. Dampness from humidity, perspiration, etc. can damage the mask's plastic fibers that help block aerosol virus particles.

Impt. too! Knight has stressed that people should wash and sanitize their hands after taking off a mask and recommended removing the mask from the ear loops or elastic bands to avoid touching the outside of the mask that may be contaminated.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. In the beginning, when masks were scarce, I found KN95 masks at my local gas station!

They now also have N95 masks, but they aren't inexpensive, and those are the ones I've stuck with. But I'm not going to dispose of a mask that I use for 5 minutes when I go in to pay for gas. I guess I've got to take a closer look at the ones I'm currently using. And I am an obsessive hand washer. Thanks!