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A former Food and Drug Administration official has advice for people as the delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread: Mask yourself.
And the quality of the mask matters.
Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation”, Scott Gottlieb said the delta variant is no more airborne than the original COVID virus and is “no more likely to be mask permeable.”
“So a mask can still be helpful. I think, however, that if you are considering wearing a mask, the quality of the mask matters, ”said Gottlieb. “So if you can get your hands on a KN95 mask or an N95 mask, that will give you a lot more protection.”
Earlier in the pandemic, people were discouraged from acquiring such masks due to shortages, but they are now more readily available.
“So I would encourage people to look at the quality of the mask and try to get their hands on a better quality mask,” he said.
You can read more here.
Are COVID vaccines free?
COVID vaccines are free for everyone, at no cost, even if they are not insured. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that if someone asks you to pay for access to a COVID vaccine, it is a scam.
The CDC said providers cannot:
- Bill you for a vaccine
- Bill you directly for administration costs, co-payments or coinsurance
- Refuse vaccination to anyone who does not have health insurance coverage, is underinsured or out of the network
- Charge an office visit or other costs to the beneficiary if the only service provided is a COVID-19 vaccination
- Require additional services for a person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine; however, additional health services may be provided at the same time and billed as appropriate.
Latest COVID figures in Alabama
Alabama added 1,403 new cases of coronavirus from Sunday to Monday with no new deaths. The state has recorded 565,510 cases of COVID-19 since March 2020 with 11,468 deaths.
Where can I get vaccinated?
The vaccines are widely available at county health departments, retail pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Publix, and medical providers statewide. Often there are no appointments required, but check with your provider in advance. You can go to ALCovidVaccine.gov to locate a vaccine near you.
You can go to the Department of Alabama Immunization Clinic dashboard or the COVID-19 table to see a full list.
More information
To find vaccine information, you can also search vaccines.gov, text your zip code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233.
Have questions about COVID?
Call 1-800-270-7268 or email [email protected]. Phone calls are handled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.
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