Are N95 masks available at local pharmacies?

CHARLOTTE — President Biden’s administration announced last week that they would be making 400 million free N95 masks available nationwide.

The public should be able to start picking up the masks at most, if not all, major pharmacies starting Friday.

Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke hit the road in multiple counties to see how easy it was to find the masks and save Channel 9 viewers time from their own search.

Spoiler alert: Stoogenke did not find a single N95 mask available.

Action 9′s first stop was the Walmart on Wilkinson Boulevard where there were no masks in sight.

The next stops were in Gaston County. Stoogenke stopped by a CVS and Walgreens in Belmont with no luck. Walgreens told Channel 9 the store could get a shipment this weekend.

Action 9 went to two more CVS pharmacies in Gastonia and a Publix where they had no word on when a shipment would arrive.

Workers at a Rock Hill CVS said they expected to have the masks within the next two to three weeks, while employees at the Walgreens on Heckle Boulevard said they would not be receiving masks at that location, but expected a shipment at the York and East Main Street locations.

Action 9 also stopped by the CVS on Arrowood Road and Harris Teeter in SouthEnd where they didn’t have any masks or information on when they would be available.

When the free masks do hit stores, you should be able to get three per person max. Here are all the participating pharmacies, according to the CDC:

• Costco

• CVS

• Harris Teeter

• Publix

• Walgreens

• Walmart (including Sam’s Club)

(WATCH BELOW: N95 masks: What you need to know)

N95 masks: What you need to know N95 masks: What you need to know (NCD)

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