Masks News

Dutch finally don masks as second wave bites

By AFP

Den Haag - A rare sight has begun to appear in Dutch cities: people wearing masks.Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the famously liberal Netherlands has held out against the strict measures imposed by its European neighbours.

Australian city to make mask-wearing compulsory

By AFP

Melbourne - Australia's second-biggest city will make it compulsory to wear a mask in public, authorities announced Sunday, as Melbourne steps up efforts to bring a coronavirus outbreak under control.

Georgia governor sues Atlanta mayor over face mask mandate

By AFP

Washington - The governor of Georgia sued officials in the US state's largest city Thursday, seeking to block a mandate that would require Atlanta residents to wear face masks in public as part of efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

French bus driver dies after attack over mask-wearing rules

By AFP

Bayonne - A French bus driver who was badly beaten by passengers after asking them to wear face masks in line with coronavirus rules has died, his family said, sparking tributes from political leaders who condemned his "cowardly" attackers.

Masks to be compulsory in Spain until virus 'permanently' defeated

By AFP

Madrid - Wearing face masks will be compulsory in Spain until a coronavirus vaccine is found, with police empowered to hand out fines for non-compliance, the government said on Tuesday.

Heating can help to disinfect N95 face masks

By Tim Sandle

In an ideal world, face masks intended for single use are used for single use purposes. However, in cases of short supply, alternative mechanisms are being considered. Of different measures, heating can be partially effective.

To mask or not to mask? World leaders scrutinised over face coverings

By AFP

Paris - Donald Trump has not donned one. Emmanuel Macron boasted a small French flag on his. Slovakia's president made a fashion statement by sporting a fuchsia-coloured one to match her outfit.

Trump admits US reopening will cost more lives

By AFP

Phoenix - President Donald Trump conceded Tuesday that more Americans will die in reopening the US economy but underlined his insistence on a dwindling coronavirus threat by refusing to wear a mask, even as he toured a mask-making factory.

French health staff up in arms over newly found mask supplies

By AFP

Paris - As France went into lockdown from mid-March, protective facemasks were hard to come by, especially for beleaguered medical staff needing basic protective equipment to look after thousands of patients stricken by the coronavirus.

Mask shortages see Russians turn to online black market

By AFP

Moscow - With pharmacy and supermarket shelves empty of protective masks, Russians worried about the coronavirus are turning to black markets online to hunt for supplies.

Germans don masks to ward off virus

By AFP

Berlin - Germany made wearing masks on public transport and in most shops mandatory on Monday, even offering them in vending machines, as the country became the latest to cover up in the fight against the coronavirus.

Solidarity? When it comes to masks, it's every nation for itself

By AFP

Paris - From government stock seizures to sales to the highest bidder on airport tarmacs, the hunt for face masks amid the coronavirus outbreak has become a global free-for-all where the rules of fair play no longer apply.

US official denies claim that Americans buying up France's masks

By AFP

Washington - A senior US official on Thursday rejected allegations from French politicians that Americans have been snapping up Chinese masks previously ordered by France during the coronavirus crisis, calling the stories "completely false.

Masks are everywhere in Asia, but have they helped?

By AFP

Apo - The use of face masks in Asia during the coronavirus outbreak has been far more widespread than in the West, where governments have urged people to reserve supplies for frontline medical staff, so have they helped limit infections?

Shoppers and nudists get to grips with masks in virus battle

By AFP

Vienna - Austria is preparing to join neighbouring states in turning to mask wearing as a further weapon to fight the coronavirus, presenting citizens under lockdown with another challenge to cultural norms due to the pandemic.

Hospitals turn to snorkel masks to ease respirator overload

By AFP

Apo - As hospitals face an overload of COVID-19 patients struggling to breathe, innovative medical staff are turning to snorkelling masks from sports stores to stop their lungs collapsing.

Sewing face masks goes viral in Europe

By AFP

Strechov Nad Sazavou - What do prisoners, a former first lady and textile makers have in common? All have threaded their needles to combat a dire global shortage of face masks that risks the health of millions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Use bandanas, scarves if no masks available: US health authorities

By AFP

Washington - US health authorities on Thursday advised medical personnel facing a shortage of protective masks to use bandanas or scarves in an emergency.

Trump executive order expected on American-made medical supplies

By Karen Graham

Washington - President Donald Trump is expected to announce an executive order Wednesday insisting on American-made medical supplies and pharmaceuticals in response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a person familiar with the plan.

Fig leaf or first defence? Deploying flimsy masks against virus

By AFP

Bangkok - As fears of a deadly virus sweep the globe, panicked members of the public are depending on a flimsy first line of defence -- surgical masks that are coveted, but in short supply and of limited use.

Protecting people from viruses by adding salt to facemasks

By Tim Sandle

Alberta - To protect medical staff, the vulnerable or simply concerned members of the public from viruses, researchers have discovered that adding a small amount of salt to facemasks helps to eliminate viral threats.

Brazilian carnival goers shun political masks

By AFP

Rio De Janeiro - Brazilian carnival goers are angry at their leaders and worried about the economy -- at least if pre-party mask purchases are anything to go by.

Carnival spirit begins in Ibiza ahead of start next week

By James Walker

Ibiza - Ibiza is beginning to get ready for the Ibiza Carnival that starts later this week, promising to be as big and lively an affair as always with masks, dancers, costumes and street parades.

Op-Ed: China's pollution gets worse, but face masks still don't work

By Karen Graham

Air pollution in China has become so bad that it has fueled a face-mask cottage-industry in the country. While most of the masks are no better than wearing a bandana over one's face, people are spending millions of dollars for this needed protection.

Native masks bought at auction returned to tribe

By Justin King

Paris - The Annenberg Foundation spent over half a million dollars at a controversial French auction to purchase Native American artifacts. The items, including 24 ceremonial masks, will be returned to the tribes to which they have great religious significance.