Charter flight from China with 10 million face masks arrives in Scotland

A charter flight carrying 10 million facemasks and other NHS supplies has landed in Scotland from China.

The cargo, which along with the masks included infusion pumps for Intensive Care Units and virus collecting kits for use in health laboratories, landed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport on Saturday morning.

Scotland’s Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation Ivan McKee said the delivery would help meet the “unprecedented demand” in the country’s health and social care system.

The chartered flight from China, which was loaded with PPE and NHS supplies for Scottish hospitals and social care providers, landed at Prestwick on Saturday morning. PIC: Contributed.

He said: “Protecting staff working on the frontline is an absolute priority which is why we have been working at pace with the NHS and manufacturers both in Scotland and internationally to improve and increase the supply of PPE.

“This charter flight, carrying additional equipment ordered by the Scottish Government, is significant and we will be focusing the distribution of these supplies to health and social care settings over the coming days.

“In these incredibly challenging times the Scottish Government will continue to do all it can to make health and social care staff feel as safe as possible in their workplace.”

The cargo included 10million facemasks and other essential NHS supplies. PIC: Contributed.

Jim Miller, Director of Procurement, Commissioning and Facilities at NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), said the delivery followed a “painstaking collective effort” to insure NHS and social care colleagues had the equipment they needed to stay safe.

“Together with supply partners and Scottish Government, NSS continues to work 24/7 to source and supply the PPE that Scotland needs to fight COVID-19,” he added.

The fluid-resistant masks will be distributed across health and social care settings. The Virus Collection and Transport Medium (VTM) Kits will be for use within health board laboratories.

Over the last five to seven weeks, around 50 million PPE items have been delivered to hospitals and GPs received eight weeks’ supply of PPE on March 30.