Gov't clarifies face mask situation

January 26, 2020

The Government today said suggestions that it mass produces and maintains a stock of up to 100 million face masks are unfounded.

 

It published the statement in response to media enquiries.

 

The Government Logistics Department (GLD) maintains and supplies surgical masks to government departments for their operational and contingency use, the statement said.

  

It added the GLD in 2019 procured a monthly average of 1.1 million masks from the Correctional Services Department and issued almost the same number of masks to other departments.

 

To support bureaus' and departments' operational use under the preparedness and response plans for infectious diseases, the GLD is required to maintain a stock of 10 million masks.

 

Due to the novel coronavirus situation, bureaus and departments have, in the past week, drawn the masks from the GLD’s stock, the statement said, adding that the GLD has procured additional masks to ensure sufficient stock.

 

The statement also said that the earliest production date of the masks in stock is January 2019.

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