TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) responded to criticism by Austrians that Taiwan-made masks are not up to standard, compared to the FFP2 masks Austrians are required to wear.
The Taiwan women’s basketball team went to Austria to participate in the 3-on-3 Olympic qualifying tournament, but the masks worn by the team did not comply with Austrian regulations, Liberty Times reported. Taiwan’s basketball authority said that the competition’s organizers did not inform them that Austria’s standards for mask specifications are different from those of other countries. However, after seeking assistance, the team has obtained enough 3D masks for their stay in the European nation.
Previously, other countries did not have enough masks for their population and often fell back on using cloth masks. Now, some countries require FFP2 masks while Taiwan is still widely using regular medical masks.
Maybe Taiwan should start using masks with better filtration ability - especially for medical personnel and people at exposed positions.