Locally-invented reusable masks help solve mask supply problem: HKSAR chief executive

The locally-invented reusable face masks to be distributed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government to Hong Kong residents for free is a home-grown scientific research achievement with local application that will help solve the problem of mask supply during an epidemic in the long run, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Wednesday.

"CuMask+™ is a home-grown scientific research achievement with local application. The whole process has involved cooperation between the government, industry, academia and the research sector and is an outstanding example of using technology to improve people's lives," Lam said on Wednesday morning as she visited a production site of the masks.

In the face of the tight supply of masks amid the COVID-19 epidemic, the HKSAR government set aside funds to subsidize projects on technology applications of reusable masks under the first round of the Anti-epidemic Fund approved by the Legislative Council, enabling the birth of CuMask+™.

The patented design adopted by CuMask+™ was developed by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited (HKRITA) with the support of the HKSAR government's Innovation and Technology Fund, and was awarded a Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2018.

The mask reaches the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F2100 Level 1 standard and can be washed 60 times. It can even be used for a long period after replacing the filter.

The HKSAR government announced on Tuesday to distribute the reusable face masks to Hong Kong residents for free to ease the shortage of protective gears.

As of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday local time, over 1.57 million people have registered online to apply for the masks, Lam said.