The MoIT reported that Viet Nam houses about 50 textile firms which are competent to daily produce 8 million cloth face masks or monthly churn out about 200 million ones. 

The domestic firms no longer have to rely on imported materials such as antibacterial fabrics or chemical substances. Instead, they could produce antibacterial fabrics made from domestically biological materials and are operating under their capacity due to the lack of customers and orders. So far, a few enterprises reported that they got long-term contracts on face masks production. 

Simple cloth face coverings are recommended to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.  

However, in the world market, face masks only mean medical ones. Cloth face masks are unpopular. Hence, the MoIT proposed enterprises advertise the benefits of cloth masks and encourage customers to use the products. 

The ministry also noticed domestic firms pay attention to quality requirements in foreign markets and seasonal factor of the products. 

Earlier, in Resolution 20/NQ-CP, dated February 28, medical mask exports are allowed for international aid and assistance purposes (maximum of 25% of the output for exports and 75% for domestic use).  

The regulation targets to give a priority to front-line medical workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Viet Nam./.