(CNN) — The Biden administration will make 400 million N95 masks available to Americans for free starting next week, a White House official told CNN, the latest federal step aimed at reining in the COVID-19 surge. Under the program, each adult can get three masks, the Washington Post reported. The 400 million non-surgical N95 masks amount to more than half of the 750 million stored in the Strategic National Stockpile, a figure that tripled over the last year as the White House sought to boost reserves. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recently advised that well-fitting respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health — such as N95 masks — offer “the highest level of protection” against COVID-19. N95 masks and their international counterparts KN95 and KF94 are usually made of polypropylene, a synthetic fiber, and are designed to fit snugly to the face.

Source: Washington Post January 19, 2022 23:10 UTC