HealthMin Rafila maintains no imposition of use of expensive face masks

Minister of Health Alexandru Rafila declared on Wednesday that "there is no imposition" of the use of expensive protective masks, specifying that medical surgical masks and FFP2 masks are recommended, given that cloth masks are inefficient, Agerpres reports.

"There is no imposition of the use of expensive masks. I have seen that, despite my statements and those of other members of the Government, they have been taken a little strangely. The mask I am wearing is the three-layered, medical mask, it isn't a special one, it is the one recommended. Whoever wants to can also use other types of face masks, like the FFP2 ones, with better filtration. There is no imposition, only the transition from cloth masks, which, given that this disease is transmitted through aerosols, have limited effectiveness or are ineffective altogether, towards uniformity of use, although I believe that it is probably used by the vast majority of citizens (...). So it is clear that these medical masks, which are not expensive at the moment, I think they are affordable, are much more useful, because they are an effective barrier to transmission. I don't think it's a restriction, because it is being presented as a restriction, it's just a limited period of time for the use of these masks where there is overcrowding or there is activity that involves interactions with other people," said minister Rafila, after the Government meeting.

Asked if there will be sanctions for those who do not comply with this measure, he replied that there could be discussions in this respect.