Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh has affirmed that Vietnam, as a leading garment exporter, is able to meet demand for face masks of people in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

During a meeting with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s units and textile enterprises in Hanoi on March 17, Anh highlighted huge demand for face masks given Vietnam’s current population and the number of foreign tourists to the country.

He said domestically-made cloth masks using anti-bacteria and water-proof materials that meet the Health Ministry’s standards is a good choice to prevent infections.

Deputy Director of the MoIT’s Domestic Market Department Le Viet Nga said over 23.2 million face masks are expected to be put up for sale on the market from March 15-31, and more than 8.88 million from March 31 – April 14.

She suggested that the government should consider using State budget to place orders for face masks from domestic producers, thus enhancing production and distribution to the public.

According to the official, the Health Ministry should also raise public awareness of the use of cloth masks in COVID-19 prevention and control.

Anh, for his part, pledged to collect feedback at the meeting and report them to the Government for consideration.