Personal protective equipment - where is it available and who needs it?

25 April 2020

Retailers of facemasks currently include:

• New World supermarkets - approx 1 million facemasks available for sale now and 8 million in stock;
• Bunnings – approx $4 million worth of facemasks on order;
• Mitre10 – 2 million facemasks on order; and
• Warehouse Group – secure stocks of facemasks and can scale up supply if needed.

Other suppliers of facemasks (made in NZ and currently available in NZ) - click on links below:

• Cactus Outdoor
• Earth Sea Sky
• Eva & Elle
• Hills Hats
• Little Yellow Bird
• Masks for Tauranga
• Munch
• Sea Breeze Apparel
• Untouched World
• Glenavon Pharmacy

Other manufacturers that may be able to produce PPE can be found on the ManufacturingNZ website.

Which workplaces should use PPE?  Ministry of Health says:

1. If people can maintain more than 1 metre distance, facemasks and gloves are not recommended (eg retail outlets, pharmacies, education facilities).
2. If people can maintain more than 1 metre distance but work where they are touching surfaces or items touched by others, they may consider wearing gloves, but facemasks are not recommended (eg supermarkets, service stations).
3. If people are unable to keep more than 1 metre distance from others, facemasks and gloves are recommended (eg police, prison staff, customs staff).