As many as 228,000 medical masks with unclear origin were confiscated the same day, reported the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s General Department of Market Surveillance.

From January 31 to February 15, a total of 4,419 cases were dealt with nationwide.

On February 7, Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung signed Decision 155/QĐ-BTC with articles allowing import tax exemption on medical masks, hand sanitiser, mask materials, disinfectant and protective clothing in an effort to fight the outbreak of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The groups of goods subject to the exemption include medical masks with international harmonised system (HS) codes of 6307.90.40 and 6307.90.90, disinfectant gel or liquid hand sanitiser with HS code 3808.94.90, mask materials include non-woven fabrics and antibacterial filters; elastic bands with the regulated HS codes, disinfectants with HS codes of 3808.94.20 and 3808.94.90, protective clothing including trousers, shirts, goggles, medical masks, helmets, gloves and shoes with HS code 6210.10.90.

The decision took effect from February 7, 2020 until the end of the COVID-19 outbreak./.

Vinatex to provide 6 million face masks in February amid COVID-19

The Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) is exerting efforts to produce around 6 million antibacterial face masks in February to meet increasing demand amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

Cafe owner wanders Hoi An to hand out free masks

A 47-year-old cafe owner in Hoi An has spent days walking through the streets in the town to hand out free masks to everyone he has met.