Update — Milwaukee Public Libraries are out of N95 masks. The health department sites still have some masks, but it's while supplies last.
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Health Department distributed another round of N95 masks on Thursday.
The health department handed out 500,000 N95 masks in less than three days.
Beginning Thursday, while supplies last, the health department distributed the second half of the one million masks they received.
N95 masks will be provided by drive-up only at the Northwest Health Center, Southside Health Center, Menomonee Valley Site, and Milwaukee Public Library branches during regular operating hours.
The full list of locations and hours can be found here.
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Each car will receive a pack of twenty N95 masks.
The demand for greater protection has increased amid the surge of Omicron. According to the FDA, an N95 fits closely to the face and provides a higher level of protection — compared to loosely fitting cloth or surgical masks — from particles and liquids.
“Masking is critically important to mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and the higher quality N95 masks are even more effective in protecting against the Omicron variant,” said Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson. “The Milwaukee Health Department staff is doing their best to get these masks into the hands of our community, but we ask everyone to exercise civility and patience.”
The Milwaukee Health Department is reminding the public that all protocols are in place to safely and equitably distribute the masks and asks everyone to follow the rules.
Honeywell makes the N95s. And on its website, a pack of 20 masks currently sells for $34.95.
At that price, 500,00 masks would cost around $850,000.