NordenBladet — Members of the Government consider it necessary for the State to distribute masks to the least privileged. For this, two reusable masks are intended to be allocated to recipients of subsistence benefits. Procurement of the masks will be organised by the Ministry of Finance who will distribute these to local governments who, in turn, must organise the distribution of masks to those in need.
“In order to take control of the coronavirus epidemic, the Government made it mandatory, among other restrictions, to wear a mask or cover one’s nose and mouth in public indoor spaces,” stated Prime Minister Jüri Ratas. “It is clear that for many Estonian people, purchasing masks is an additional expense that may further affect their daily subsistence. In order for all Estonian people to be able to equally protect themselves from the coronavirus, we decided today that we will be ensuring masks for the most economically vulnerable.”
The Minister of Public Administration Jaak Aab noted that there are up to 20,000 people receiving subsistence benefits, which means that about 40,000 masks are required. “In the currently existing central reserve of the State, there are mostly disposable masks, which means that it is now necessary to quickly obtain reusable masks. Domestic manufacturers are preferred, of course,” said Aab.
Wearing a mask or covering one’s nose and mouth indoors is just one measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. To effectively prevent the spread of the virus, it is necessary to wash hands, avoid touching one’s eyes, nose and mouth, keep a distance from other people in crowded spaces, clean publicly used surfaces, ventilate rooms. If possible, the use of public transport should be avoided, and stores for buying staple goods and food should be visited at a time when they are not crowded.
Source: Estonian Government