U.
S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams requested the public to stop purchasing face masks due to the growing coronavirus outbreak. He warns people that the masks won’t protect from potential contamination. He also said that the shortage in supply is keeping healthcare providers at risk.
“Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing the general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!” he shared on Twitter Saturday.
He later added, “The best way to protect yourself and your community is with everyday preventive actions, like staying home when you are sick and washing hands with soap and water, to help slow the spread of respiratory illness. Get your #FluShot– fewer flu patients = more resources for #COVID19.”
Other healthcare officials agreed that a mask can only prevent from falling ill with the coronavirus. And, the virus can spread more by touching a contaminated surface.
“There is no role for these masks in the community,” Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said last week, per The New York Times. “These masks need to be prioritized for health care professionals that as part of their job are taking care of individuals.”
The plea comes after the reports of a global shortage of medical masks. It is more important and needed by healthcare workers in their everyday duties while caring for sick patients.
“There are severe strains on protective equipment around the world,” Dr. Michael J. Ryan, executive director of the health emergency program at the World Health Organization, told reporters on Friday, according to The Times.
“Our primary concern is to ensure that our front line health workers are protected and that they have the equipment they need to do their jobs,” he added.
China — where this dangerous disease started and has made the biggest impact is the world’s largest producer of face masks, according to Time.point 365 |
The country’s production has decreased due to heavy demand.point 53 | The effects were witnessed by retailers across continents as panicked consumers are going to their local stores and online outlets, buying out the available supply.point 193 | point 193 | 1
Meanwhile, CVS, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Target and Walmart have run out of masks made by 3M, according to CBS.
“We can’t get them anymore; they are out of stock at the warehouse,” Aimee Hart a local drugstore owner in Cincinnati, Ohio, told local ABC News affiliate WCPO.
Amazon said they have removed tens of thousands of deals from sellers who were not adhering to their “fair pricing” guidelines.
“We have absolutely enforced the policy,” an Amazon spokesperson told CBS. “We identify them and quickly take action.”
As of Monday, 88 cases were confirmed in the U.S., with two deaths, both older adults with underlying health problems.
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