COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins needs to urgently clarify what is happening with the roll out of N95 masks in MIQ facilities, National’s COVID-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Nurses have been asking for N95 masks in MIQ facilities for some time now but have been largely met with silence from the Government.

“Two weeks ago Hipkins said he was seeking further advice. Where is this advice and what are the next steps?

“The Nurses Society director has said the situation is at ‘a crisis point’. Some nurses are threatening to stop work if the Government does not ensure they have access to the appropriate safety equipment.

“We’ve always said we would follow the science on mask wearing, but nurses are at the frontline of our response. We owe it to them to make sure they have the tools they need to do their job properly and to keep them safe.”