The Latest: Biden plans to get face masks to hard-hit areas
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden plans to distribute millions of face masks to Americans in communities hard-hit by the coronavirus.
It’s part of his effort to ensure equity in the government’s response to the pandemic. Biden is aiming to reach underserved communities and those bearing the brunt of the outbreak. His plan will distribute masks not through the mail, but through Federally Qualified Community Health Centers and the nation’s food bank and food pantry systems.
The White House announced it expects more than 25 million American-made cloth masks in both adult and kid sizes will be distributed.
Biden has asked everyone to wear face masks for the first 100 days of his term. He’s also required mask-wearing in federal buildings and on public transportation.
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THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
Dr. Anthony Fauci says National Institutes of Health will study symptoms in “long-haul” COVID-19 patients. CVS, Walgreens to give shots in more states this week. Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 shot poised for FDA decision. South Africa to spend $172 million on mass vaccination drive.
— Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
WASHINGTON — Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington D.C., is declaring a day of remembrance as the nation’s capital passes 1,000 deaths from the coronavirus.
On Wednesday night at 6 p.m., houses of worship across the...