Hong Kong: Male nurses and other staff may be asked to shave off beards and facial hair to ensure protective face masks fit properly, according to new national guidance for NHS organizations in England. Health authorities warn that Men’s beards could render face masks useless.
Huasheng Hong Kong Trading Co., Limited based in Hong Kong has developed a fitted mask for men with religious beards.
Ji Qiang, CEO of HuaSheng says “A hairy face can play host to germs and a beard could trap debris from coughs and sneezes. There are alternatives to masks – such as hoods and 3D printed face shields, but we wanted to develop something which is easy to use and affordable. We have inquiries for orders from the Middle East, the United States, and Israel. ”
Ji Qiang shows the newly developed fitted mask for those with beards.
The company claims that the mask is made from a similar material (non-woven fabric) used for making a surgical 3PLY and KN95 masks. There are no machines available in the world now to manufacture specialized masks. HuaShenzg currently can produce 50,000 masks every week with 30 workers. The masks are currently sold for 1.18 US$. For trade inquiries, you may contact Mr. Ji Qiang at mask@jiuyuan.co
Recently Israel announced that they will be producing fitted masks for men with religious beards. Many of the country’s Jews and Muslims, and some Christian clergymen, wear beards as a mark of faith.
Health Ministry deputy director-general Itamar Grotto told,
“We are creating an industrial certification for masks, which means that in a few days there will really be masks of different sizes,”
A spokesman for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has said it might consider issuing a ruling permitting religious Jews to shave if the ministry were to deem it necessary.
While The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested that loose-fitting surgical masks can be worn by everyday Americans if they feel sick. Surgical masks help prevent contamination when a person coughs or sneezes.