CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Say goodbye to your standard cloth masks because the federal government's program to give every American three N95 masks is underway.
Free is always good, but just how much will this program save you? The answer is not a lot.
WCNC Charlotte found professional-grade N95 masks for sale on Amazon for less than $1.50 each. So there's not a lot of money to be saved with the government's giveaway.
But that doesn't mean it won't be saving you in other ways, namely with hassle and headache.
The hassle goes away because you don't have to find a retail store with N95 masks in stock or deal with buying them online and waiting for them to arrive in the mail.
Free N95 masks are now available at Federal Retail Pharmacy Program partners, like Costco, CVS, Food Lion, Publix, Walgreens and Walmart. These same locations also offer free COVID-19 vaccines.
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to the Defenders team by emailing money@wcnc.com.
The giveaway program also saves you the headache of worrying if you're actually getting what you paid for in a face covering. The masks that are distributed are legitimate N95 masks coming from the national stockpile.
Saving money is great but peace of mind is invaluable.
Contact Carolyn Bruck at cbruck@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
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