By Troy Gillard

PPE

Province counters concerns over mask sourcing

Apr 21, 2020 | 8:26 AM

Health Minister Tyler Shandro has fired back against claims that domestically-sourced masks have been sent to other provinces while masks sourced from China have been given to Alberta’s front-line workers.

“This is untrue,” he said Monday. “All procedural masks which have been sent to other provinces were sourced from manufacturers in China. Those same masks are also being used here in Alberta. The masks sourced from China are safe for use in Alberta and all other provinces. All of our PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) meets the required safety standards.”

Jitendra Prasad, chief program officer, contracting, procurement and supply management, Alberta Health Services, assured Albertans about the supply of PPE in Alberta.

“We continue to have an adequate supply of PPE within Alberta and we’re very comfortable with the stock levels we have and the orders we’re placing on an ongoing basis,” he said.

On concerns from front-line workers about the fit and nose pieces on masks being distributed, Prasad said he understands the level of familiarity they have. But he added that AHS is very careful about testing the masks that are being brought in and steps have been taken to improve the masks.

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NDP Health Critic David Shepherd says there is also a lack of clarity from the government on who exactly will receive shipments of the lifesaving equipment and who may have to source it on their own.

“Is anyone who is deemed an essential worker and whose work does not allow for social distancing entitled to receive a PPE shipment from the province?” Shepherd said in a release. “These are serious issues that the government must address immediately. We all want to help our friends and neighbors in other provinces. But it’s not right for our frontline workers to run out of safety equipment while Jason Kenney is shooting videos of himself shipping pallets of quality equipment elsewhere.”

(With file from Chris Brown, NDP media release)