Health1 min(s) read
Published 16:30 27 Apr 2020 GMT
An NHS nurse has criticized fast-fashion retailer Boohoo for selling non-protective face masks as fashion accessories while frontline healthcare workers are facing a critical shortage of PPE.
The healthcare professional, who has chosen to remain anonymous, felt personally offended by the masks, believing they are making a mockery of the current crisis.
The masks, which are available for both men and women, feature lettering reading "sleep, isolate, repeat" and "quarantine queen". On Boohoo man, the masks are emblazoned with skull designs.
They currently cost £5 and a disclaimer states that they "should not be used as personal protection equipment."
Speaking to The Sun, the nurse said: "Boohoo are selling useless fashion masks that are of no use to the public and are using their greed to make a mockery of people on the frontline. ‘I, myself am a frontline nurse and find it appalling that they feel the need to make PPE into a fashion statement when we are struggling with the provision of this in the hospitals. Disgusting!"
She also shared a message that she sent to Boohoo's Instagram page, which read "This is no joking matter, people are extremely sick and dying from this horrible illness and you feel it appropriate to sell masks that have absolutely no protection to the public whatsoever."
The reaction to the nurse's comments were mixed, with some stating that they didn't see anything wrong with Boohoo's masks as many people are making their own non-medical-grade masks at home.
"This is really inappropriate – I agree with the nurse," wrote one social media user, while another disagreed, writing: "Advice has been that the public don’t need medical grade masks but wearing just a homemade piece of cloth over your mouth can lower the chances of you passing on the infection. ‘So what’s the problem with Boohoo selling a cloth mask to the public to help slow the spread? [sic]"
This coronavirus nurse broke down after recalling a difficult shift:
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