Leave the N95 masks for healthcare workers – CMO

As Vincentians move to acquire personal protective masks, the Ministry of Health is pleading with the public to avoid buying N95 masks so that there will be sufficient for local healthcare workers.

Simone Keizer-Beache, the chief medical officer was speaking at a press conference on Friday, April 3 when she said that the ministry was seeking to procure as many N95 masks as possible.

“These are masks specifically intended for the use of healthcare workers because these are the persons who would be in the front line, exposed to persons with COVID and be most at risk,” she said.

The chief medical officer stressed that healthcare workers are among one of the major risk groups for contracting COVID-19.

And as a result, the ministry is currently implementing measures to reduce as much as possible, the exposure of these at risk persons.

“The plea of the ministry of health is that as persons move towards purchasing masks for themselves, that you let us keep the N95 masks for our healthcare workers,” Keizer-Beache said.