Charter flight with millions of face masks lands in Scotland

A charter flight carrying items of personal protective equipment has landed in Scotland.

The cargo, which included about 10 million face masks, along with infusion pumps for intensive care units and virus collecting kits for use in health labs, arrived at Glasgow Prestwick Airport from China yesterday morning.

Ivan McKee MSP, minister for trade, investment and innovation said: "Scotland's health and social care system is facing unprecedented demand.

"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."

Jim Miller, director of procurement, commissioning and facilities at NHS National Services Scotland, said: "This delivery is the result of a painstaking collective effort involving multiple partners working together to provide our NHS and social care colleagues with the PPE they need to keep them 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."

The masks, which are fluid-resistant, will be distributed across health and social care settings.

The Scottish Government says about 50 million PPE items have been delivere to hospitals over the last seven weeks.

But there have been concerns about shortages in care homes, where about a quarter of all deaths linked to coronavirus in Scotland are said to have taken place.