Germany has banned exports of face masks and other protective equipment and the French government decided to take over production of protective masks earlier this week. Italy, the worst hit country in Europe, doesn’t allow exports of protective equipment without prior authorization from its civil protection authorities, and the Czech Republic asked local producers of masks to keep supplies within the country, Health Minister Adam Vojtěch said.
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Belgian Health Minister Maggie De Block said these measures are impeding suppliers from delivering to other countries as part of existing contracts. “I want to insist that we [don’t] overreact to this health threat by imposing export bans on personal protective equipment as have done some among us,” she said.
Her counterparts from the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia and Austria, among others, echoed that call.
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