The province of Manitoba spent $35 million in 2020 to buy reusable N95 respirators to protect health-care workers during the pandemic. Only a small fraction of those masks were ever used.
Manitoba announced in May 2020 it would buy 500,000 reusable N95 silicone masks from Winnipeg-based company Precision ADM Inc. The masks could be sterilized and reused up to 30 times, the province said at the time. It was a time when personal protective equipment was in critical short supply around the world due to COVID-19.
Shift to reusable PPE 'an immediate need' for public health — but transition won't be simple, experts say The province says the contract was meant to ensure the respirators were available to Manitoba health-care workers at a time when choices were limited due to the high demand around the world, combined with significant supply chain issues.
Contract details gave the province an option to extend the initial purchase of 500,000 respirators to buy an additional 500,000 of them within 14 months. Martin Petrak, CEO of Precisim ADM Medical division, told CBC he could not comment on any client or contract details, citing strict client confidentiality obligations.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Manitoba government says partnering with private sector will get schools built fastThe Progressive Conservative government announced last month a plan to build nine schools under a public-private partnership model
Read more »
Manitoba will not make Orange Shirt Day a holiday, citing ongoing consultationsPremier Heather Stefanson says consultations are ongoing and there is still not a consensus on how Orange Shirt Day should be marked
Read more »
'Nothing short of insanity,' advocates say of sentence for man with recovery centre success storyA Manitoba man who underwent an addictions recovery program while facing serious charges says his life was on the upswing. Then he was sent to prison.
Read more »
SpaceX Starship rocket launch now likely to happen later in April, Elon Musk saysThe rocket is scheduled to lift off from SpaceX’s Starbase facilities at Boca Chica in South Texas in the first launch of the company’s fully stacked Starship rocket system
Read more »
Winters Hotel fire one year later: Safety changes made but SRO hazards remainFires remain common in single\u002Droom occupancy hotels in the Downtown Eastside, prompting firefighters to better train SRO staff. Read on.
Read more »