Face masks and other protective equipment: Belgium participates in the joint procurement at European level

27-02-2020

Our country has placed an important order of protective equipment and masks intended for healthcare professionals. We have also ordered a large supply of masks for patients with a viral infection to protect the people living with them.

The order is part of a ‘joint procurement’ organised by the European Union for its member States. It makes them gain time by avoiding them to carry on separate negotiations with producers and suppliers.

The Belgian government will use this equipment to support general practitioners and hospitals in case of a shortage. Due to the epidemic in China, there is presently a supply problem in the whole world for all kinds of masks. Therefore, it is crucial to reserve the remaining stocks of masks as much as possible for those who really need them: the healthcare staff who is responsible for providing care to their patients and the people who have been contaminated by the coronavirus. For any person in good health, a mask is not very useful.

Would you like more details about the usefulness of a face mask? Read the interview of Dr Steven Van Gucht, virology professor and president of the Coronavirus Scientific Committee.