The president of Infarmed said today that the social masks, which began to be produced by the national textile industry according to defined specifications, can be made of cotton or polyester and that many will be reusable.
Rui Ivo was speaking at the daily press conference on the Covid-19 pandemic, held at the Ministry of Health, with the purpose of a norm for the industry to start manufacturing non-surgical masks for general use by the population in closed spaces, such as supermarkets, pharmacies or public transport.
“Based on these specifications, we are in a position to say that the masks produced and that will be sold will have the conditions of protection ensured. We are talking about a third type of protection equipment that, with the support of the national industry, we can conveniently use and that will be sold with the same written indications”, said Rui Ivo.
Among the materials authorized by the standard are cotton, polyester or a combination of the two, and many of the masks can be reused after washing.
The Health Minister said at Monday's press conference that the use of non-surgical or social masks will be generalized to the population in closed spaces such as pharmacies, but only when the country returns to normality and not in a state of emergency/confinement.
"In a context, which is not the one we are in today, because we are in a state of emergency, which calls for confinement and restriction of essential activities, but in which people can locate themselves in closed spaces, the use of said social mask”, said Marta Temido.
An orientation from the General Directorate of Health refers to “the use of masks by all people who remain indoors with multiple people, as an additional measure of protection against social distance, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette”.
Asked when will be recommended the widespread use of community masks by the general population in closed spaces, the Secretary of State for Health, Lacerda Sales, referred to the reassessment of the state of emergency, which will be done on Wednesday.
“On Wednesday there will be a reassessment of the state of emergency, it is not yet the exact time for us to be able to pronounce on a set of measures that may or may not be reassessed. The Ministry of Health, depending on the decisions taken, is responsible for following a responsible and controlled path, not making concessions in terms of safety”, he said.
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