Coronavirus: ombudsman to investigate after masks made by Hong Kong prison inmates go for sale on open market
- Prisoners make masks for public sector workers, but boxes have appeared for sale in pharmacies, online, and elsewhere in the city
- Government staff have admitted taking boxes home at start of outbreak when supplies were plentiful
Some government staff have admitted they were able to get boxes of masks for personal use at the beginning of the outbreak, while boxes of masks were also sold online or in pharmacies.
At the same time, the supply of CSI masks was depleting quickly, and in early February government officials said only 10 million masks were left in stock, just enough for one month’s use by all departments.
“The community is concerned about the possible misuse of the CSI masks,” the ombudsman’s office said. “The media and members of the public have reported that CSI masks are available on the market, calling into question whether CSI masks have been misused or resold without authorisation.”
Ombudsman Winnie Chiu Wai-yin said the investigation would include examining the system and procedures regulating the production, distribution and stocktaking of the masks.