Community Corner

Free N95s Now Available At Wegmans Near Manasquan-Belmar

People can each get up to three government-provided masks at all Wegmans locations while supplies last.

MANASQUAN-BELMAR, NJ — The masks have landed. Free, government-provided N95 masks have arrived at all Wegmans locations, including stores near Manasquan and Belmar, officials said.

The White House planned to ship 400 million N95 masks to pharmacies across the nation, which are available for all Americans. Customers and patients can pick up a maximum of three masks per person.

Distribution began in late January. President Joe Biden's administration expected the program to become fully operational by early February.

Find out what's happening in Manasquan-Belmarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

All New Jersey Wegmans stores have received free K95 masks, the company announced earlier this month. Patrons can get up to three each while supplies last.

The CDC updated its face-covering guidance Jan. 14, clearly stating that properly fitted N95 and KN95 masks offer the most protection against COVID-19. The agency has no concerns over supply shortages of N95s but clarified Jan. 28 that "surgical N95s" should be reserved for health care settings. Find more mask guidance here.

Find out what's happening in Manasquan-Belmarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Thanks for reading. Have a news tip? Email nicole.rosenthal@patch.com. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter here.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.