President Biden administration to send millions of masks

US President Joe Biden says the administration expects to send millions of masks to people around the country very shortly.

Such a plan was considered and dropped by Donald Trump's administration.

Biden didn't provide details, including cost, timing and the type of mask to be shipped. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The president confirmed the plan during a virtual roundtable discussion on Tuesday with four Black essential workers: a St Louis firefighter and EMT, a Chicago pharmacist, a child-care centre employee in Columbus, Ohio, and a grocery store district manager in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Biden has asked everyone to wear face masks for the first 100 days of his term. He also required mask-wearing in federal buildings and on public transportation.