Just after we signed up for the free COVID at-home tests, the White House dropped another round of goodies: free N95 masks.
 |  | By Daphne Lee, News Editor | | | Just after we signed up for the free COVID at-home tests, the White House dropped another round of goodies: free N95 masks. They will be available for pickup at your local pharmacies and community health centers. But are they necessary? | | | Today's Top Story | | Free Masks for All |  | The Biden administration plans to distribute 400 million N95 masks starting next week. Each adult will be able to pick up three N95 masks. You can likely get them from pharmacies that have participated in the federal vaccine program.
Some public health experts say giving out free masks is the right move, even though it's two years too late. But others are questioning if this mask campaign is just a waste of time and resources.
N95s are high-filtration masks that offer the highest level of protection against COVID-19. However, they're generally reserved for healthcare workers or high-risk patients. They also need to be well-fitted for maximum effectiveness. Hospital workers have to go through fit tests to make sure there's no leak, according to Dina Velocci, president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.
Velocci said she was disappointed that there's a lack of clear, factual guidance on how to properly use N95s. Instead, the government seems to think handing out N95s for free will be enough to protect people from COVID-19. | | Know More | | N95s have a denser network of fiber than cloth or surgical masks and they can filter up to 95% of particles in the air. They're also far better at blocking droplets that are exhaled by the wearer. | | Feel Better | | Keep in mind that all FDA-approved N95 masks are designed to be single-use, ideally. If your mask is soiled or damaged, replace it with a new one immediately. | | |  | | Dementia Cases May Triple Globally By 2050 | | A new study estimated that global cases of dementia could increase to 153 million by 2050, a triple of the current numbers. We might want to attribute this problem to a growing population of older adults, but researchers said dementia isn't a normal part of aging. They outlined four risk factors that could be improved for preventing dementia: obesity, smoking, high blood sugar, and low education. | | | | Only 1 in 10 Americans Eat Enough Fruits and Vegetables | | Are you eating 1.5-2 cups of fruits and 2-3 cups of vegetables every day? No? Well, you're among the 90% of Americans who fail to meet the recommended daily intake for fruits and vegetables. You can try to boost your vegetable intake with simple tricks like opting for cauliflower rice instead of white rice, using carrots and cucumbers for dips, and drinking 100% fruit juice. | | | | | | | |  | | In an interview with Verywell, Sten H. Vermund, MD, PhD, infectious disease epidemiologist and dean of the Yale School of Public Health, suggested a few ways to check if your mask is worn properly. |  | | No test is foolproof, but one easy way to test the snugness of your mask is to try exhaling heavily. If your glasses fog up, the mask isn't properly covering your nose. If you can fit your fingers through the sides, the mask isn't secure to your face. | |  |  | Sten H. Vermund, MD, PhD
Dean of the Yale School of Public Health
| | | In Other News | | | ■ | Greetings From the Pandemic Memory Hole. The Washington Post | | | | | ■ | 'Extraordinary' Is Overrated. NPR | | | | | ■ | It's a Terrible Idea to Deny Medical Care to Unvaccinated People. The Atlantic | | | | | | | |  |     | You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.
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