The Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) and Consumer Council (CC) said in a statement yesterday that they have been monitoring the quality of facemasks being sold in the local market, urging residents to buy quality facemasks.
According to the statement, the two public entities’ officials have been inspecting local retail outlets to monitor the qualities of surgical facemasks.
The statement said that the law regulates that facemasks sold in the local market must satisfy safety standards, adding that there are five local manufacturers of surgical facemasks that must pass the government’s quality control before entering the market. The statement underlined that the facemasks from the government’s subsidy programme are surgical facemasks that are up to international standards, can prevent transmission through saliva and have the ability to reduce the risk of transmitting respiratory diseases.
The statement said that since there are multiple options of facemasks in local shops, the two entities’ officials inspected 144 local pharmacies and retail shops to ensure that they clearly differentiate surgical and non-surgical facemasks, stressing that the two kinds of facemasks must be placed on different shelves in order for residents to identify them easily.
Meanwhile, the two entities also urged residents to ensure that their surgical facemasks meet international standards. The statement said that residents should only go to reputable shops to purchase facemasks, adding that the Consumer Council has posted on its website at https://www.consumer.gov.mo/News/mask_standard.aspx?lang=zh information about different countries’ standards for surgical facemasks as reference for local residents.
The statement said that due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, residents should abide by the Health Bureau’s prevention and control measures, such as properly wearing their facemask to lower the risks of transmitting the disease. The statement said the two entities will continue to randomly check facemasks to ensure their quality, pointing out that if they find any below-standard facemasks, the manufacturer could face legal consequences.
This undated handout photo provided yesterday by the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) and Consumer Council (CC) shows two of its officials checking different kinds of facemasks at a local pharmacy. Photo: DSEDT and CC
