News Abenomasks still stirring up trouble - and costs

Shunya Ikeda, a medical policy professor at the International University of Health and Welfare, said, "In the coronavirus pandemic's early stages, mask demand was difficult to predict, and the Japanese government's decision to secure cloth masks was appropriate in terms of crisis management. But it is already clear that nonwoven masks are more effective than cloth ones, and it's a waste to keep cloth masks as part of coronavirus countermeasures. The government should consider the matter, including the masks' disposal." Yasuhiro Yuki, social welfare professor at Shukutoku University, said, "I suppose the government could have reduced procured amounts by considering that nonwoven masks were gradually being supplied. It cannot throw away goods purchased with taxes. I want the government to consider disassembling them to use the gauze material and cloth for nursing and other settings.

Click to expand...