At the end of this month, the sale of disposable, hygienic, and surgical masks will start. These are manufactured in Cuba for the first time, assured Marible Rodríguez Arqüelles, general manager of the Unimoda Textile Manufacturing Company.

Rodríguez Argüelles explained that the sale of this protection means (which acquired a higher importance after COVID-19 spread) will first start in the Public Health sector, one of the most exposed to the battle against the pandemic.   

Also, institutions with a higher infection risk will have access to this product first, like those related to tourism, transportation, and trade, among others. All of this, before start selling it to the population, added the general manager of this institution that belongs to the Gardis Entrepreneurial Group.

She mentioned that the sale of this protection means at the stores will include the establishments with payment in convertible pesos and others in Cuban pesos. These will be have affordable prices for the population.

Referring to the current state, she said that the small factory located at the University of Matanzas goes through the testing and launching phase, in which the efficiency of the productive process is evaluated, and the training of the staff is also being perfected. This staff is composed of young people coming form that same university.

Rodríguez Argüelles confirmed that the this modern technology will allow the confection, sterilization, and packing of around one hundred units per minute in two work lines, which can be interpreted as 84 000 masks per every eight-hour shift.

Each mask is formed by three layers, two of them made of spunbond non-woven fabric and a meltblown filter that will guarantee safety and comfort. Other perks are included like the sterilization and packing, he pointed out.

This small factory will substitute imports, thus saving money if we take into consideration the purchase costs abroad, where these masks can be acquired at a price of 0.46 dollars, while making them in Cuba costs 0.15.

Source: Cubadebate

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