By Barbados Today
Government seems likely to make the wearing of masks in public mandatory – depending on whether enough of them are available, the Prime Minister has revealed.
The PM made this disclosure while addressing the country Wednesday night in a lengthy COVID-29 update.
Mottley said: “We are asking all persons going into the public to move around to start to use masks, whether disposable or cloth. I know that many of you have started. We have not yet made it mandatory but we are considering doing so at this point in time, until such time, we’re asking all of you to wear the mask.
“Our concern about making it mandatory is that we have adequate supply in-island so that we do not make criminals out of people who are not wearing any. And I am waiting on that information.”
There has been growing public concern expressed on social media about Government’s policy on face masks. Many have complained that some businesses places are not allowing people who are not wearing a mask to enter.
The PM again made a call for N95 masks to be left for health care and frontline workers.
She said: “I know that some of you already have the disposable masks – surgical and in particular, the N95 mask. But let us agree as we go forward that as far as possible these should be left for our health care workers and our frontline workers. Indeed, Barbadians I know will buy and they will make.”
Mottley then added that she was proud of developments at Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI) on a project to manufacture face shields using 3D printers the Government had bought some time ago.