Although the rate of infection seems to be slowing down in many parts of the U.S., the coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing public health crisis continues to grip the country. Lockdowns and social distancing protocols have been employed to slow the spread since the beginning of the outbreak, and shortly after, numerous businesses and localities started to make the wearing of face masks mandatory. On Tuesday, May 26, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam joined that number when he declared that the state’s Department of Health will now be requiring all residents over the age of 10 will be required to wear face masks in public. If you still need some cheap surgical masks for yourself and/or your loved ones but cannot find them locally, then Well Before (formerly Honest PPE Supply) has them for less than $1 apiece.
Surgical masks are a common sight in many places around the world, particularly in Asia, and despite initial assumptions that masks were ineffective, it did not take long for western countries like the U.S. to do an about-face on the subject. Unfortunately, this caused a rush on masks from both online and brick-and-mortar retailers which caused stock shortages, price gouging, and even scams. Texas-based company Well Before seeks to remedy this by offering high-quality, Food and Drug Administration registered disposable masks to the public for cheap.
Single-layer cloth and paper masks, while better than nothing, are not particularly effective at filtering microbes from the air you’re breathing. These disposable surgical masks are three-ply, featuring a high-density filtration membrane sandwiched between a soft inner tissue layer (that won’t irritate your skin) and a water-resistant blue outer layer. Comfortable elastic over-ear bands secure them to your face, and the masks also feature an internal metal nose clip to ensure a close fit without excessive gaps through which unfiltered air can move.
Well Before also has KN95 masks in stock for just $3 a pop, which offer a level of protection similar to that of professional-grade N95 masks. If you’re just after some cheap disposable ones, though, then you can grab the three-ply disposable surgical masks in packs of 50 or more (bulk orders are available as well) at a price of just 60 cents per mask.