The Trudeau government has confirmed that approximately one million face masks that were purchased from China will not be used because they do not meet the standards of Health Canada.
The Trudeau government has confirmed that approximately one million face masks that were purchased from China will not be used because they do not meet the standards of Health Canada. Therefore, they will not be distributed for use by health care workers.
According to the Globe and Mail, the masks did not meet the standards required for the appropriate KN95 rating (a rating similar to the more recognizable N95 rating from the United States).
“Due to intense global competition for personal protective equipment and medical supplies, countries are engaging with a diverse number of new suppliers and manufacturers to meet the demands of the COVID-19 response effort. As a result, the agency is conducting its due diligence on products procured by [Public Service and Procurement], verifying the quality of procured and donated supplies upon receipt,” Eric Morrissette from Department of Health and Canada’s Public Health Agency told the Globe.
“To date, PHAC has identified approximately one million KN95 masks as non-compliant with specifications for health care settings. These items were not distributed to provinces and territories for front-line health care response." Morrissette continued.
Previously, Toronto had to recall more than 60,000 masks made in China due to easy tearing of the material. These masks were distributed to workers in long-term care homes. An investigation is underway to determine whether the faulty masks led to workers being exposed to coronavirus.
It is unclear whether or not these masks can be repurposed.
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