With Omicron still surging in much of the United States, more people are in need of getting tested for COVID. So free at-home tests are now available to all Americans. At the same time, there is new guidance for what type of mask we should be wearing to stay safe. In this episode, we provide useful information on how to obtain at-home tests and which masks are recommended.

"Now, we have the KN95, which is the Chinese respirator standard. These may be more likely to be a fake. I bring this up because I actually think I bought a fake one. I was a little disappointed to find out when I did my research,” reveals Zoe. “You got some fake ones?,” asks Steven. “Yeah, I think so,” laments Zoe.

Among the highlights in this episode:

1:32: Listener feedback

2:11: Insurance coverage for at-home rapid tests

2:52: Private insurance required to provide 8 at-home tests per month per person in household

5:11: Government website COVIDTests.gov to order 4 at-home test kits

6:49: New mask guidance

7:38: “The 95 masks are designed to filter at least 95% of the particles in the air,” says Steven

8:09: Zoe walks us through the differences in the variety of masks available to wear

11:15: Find high quality masks at Project N95

11:41: COVID-19 Patient Support Program poll: nearly 25% of survey respondents said they had difficulty accessing N95 or KN95 masks

13:18: “Any mask is still better than no mask if you can't get your hands on one of these 95s,” says Zoe

13:34: Update on Omicron decline in the Northeast

14:19- U.S. Surgeon general warns Omicon has not yet peaked in America, including rural areas

16:08: Latest vaccination rate numbers: 63% of Americans are vaccinated, only 38% are boosted

16:44: What did our co-hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: snewmark@ghlf.org

Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: zrothblatt@ghlf.org

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