Masks and at-home COVID-19 test kits have become staples of pandemic life. The Biden Administration announced in January that it would distribute 400 million free N95 respirators to pharmacies and grocery stores around the country. The U.S. Postal Service has begun taking orders for free at-home test kits. Supply remains limited, so many are still purchasing masks and tests on their own, and the costs can easily add up.
Wendy Edelberg is a Senior Fellow of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution who studies household spending and saving habits. She explains how time is one of the hidden costs associated with obtaining high-quality masks.