The province of Manitoba says they are planning to order up to one million new reusable masks that have been designed and produced in Manitoba for front-line health care workers.
The locally-made N95 silicone masks are a success story for the province, Central Services Minister Reg Helwer says.
"It is very exciting that we are able to place an order for these reusable N95 masks that were designed and are being produced right here in Manitoba," he says, adding that it is a priority for the government to ensure they are providing high-quality personal protective equipment to front-line health care workers in Manitoba.
The new mask is designed to comfortably protect front-line health care workers during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Two Manitobans, Dr. Christian Petropolis and Dr. Adrian Robertson, were behind the creation of the reusable silicone masks, which have been designed to meet the needs of front-line health care workers in the province.
"We owe it to the front-line care provider to keep them safe and maintain their confidence in their new protective equipment," says Robertson, medical director of intermediate intensive care at Health Sciences Centre.
Precision ADM, a Winnipeg-based manufacturer, was selected by the province to produce the new mask design. The province says the masks will be produced at a price competitive with similar masks produced overseas.
An order for 500,000 of Petropolis and Robertson's masks has been placed with the company. The province also has the option to purchase another 500,000 masks over the next 14 months.
Helwer calls the production of the new masks "extraordinary" for the province.
"By working together and harnessing the ingenuity of Manitobans, we're helping keep Manitobans safe and healthy in the face of this global pandemic," Helwer says.
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