ARCHIVED - Facemask mass production machinery arrives in Spain from China

Four machines produced in Kunshan are able to manufacture 10 million masks per month

Four facemask manufacturing machines produced in Kunshan (China) by the company Corporación Mondragón arrived in Madrid on Friday, having been ordered by the Spanish government in order to produce 60 million masks at the rate of 10 million per month.

Among those present at the air base of Torrejón de Ardoz in the Region of Madrid when the shipment landed was Reyes Maroto, the Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, and the twenty large packing cases in which the parts of the machines were loaded were then taken by military convoys to the Mondragón premises in Markina, in the province of Vizcaya, and the Military Pharmacy in Burgos.

The order of these production facilities was announced by Salvador Illa, the Minister for Health, on 6^th April as one of the strategies being implemented to combat the spread of the pandemic in Spain, and they have arrived for assembly as the national government asserts that facemasks will be available for all during this week. As well as the purchase of the machines made in China, the national textiles federation Fedecom and other bodies have joined forces with major companies such as El Corte Inglés to produce 300,000 masks a week, the Ministry has stated, and Sra Maroto has reiterated that she expects members of the public to be able to purchase masks in pharmacies and other shops this week: a decree was issued to limit the maximum sale price of these items at the weekend.

The production and supply of masks is considered to be one of the key elements which the Spanish authorities are trying to address in order to gradually relax lockdown restrictions in Spain.

Remember: LOCKDOWN MEANS LOCKDOWN. STAY AT HOME. STAY SAFE AND DO YOUR BIT TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.

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Ya está en el Centro Militar de Farmacia de Burgos una de las máquinas de fabricación de mascarillas que ayer llegaron a la Base de Torrejón procedente de China. Las Fuerzas Armadas continúan luchando con todos sus medios contra el #COVID19#EsteVirusLoParamosUnidos pic.twitter.com/JD6QVWH4NZ

— Ministerio Defensa (@Defensagob) April 18, 2020

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Sensible precautions

The advice being issued to members of the public by medical authorities all over the world coincides on the following points:

- Wash hands frequently with either soap and water or a sanitiser gel

- Catch coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues – and throw the tissues away immediately after use before immediately washing your hands!

- If you don’t have a tissue, use your sleeve – and wash the item of clothing used at the next opportunity

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