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Coronavirus: Bath dentist offers to sell surplus facemasks for £50 | Coronavirus: Bath dentist offers to sell surplus facemasks for £50 |
(about 8 hours later) | |
A dentist has been criticised for selling surplus facemasks for £50 each. | |
Toby Talbot, from the privately-run Talbot Clinic in Bath, has written to people living nearby to offer them a chance to buy FFP3 masks. | Toby Talbot, from the privately-run Talbot Clinic in Bath, has written to people living nearby to offer them a chance to buy FFP3 masks. |
Bath's Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse said it was "disappointing" and any surplus equipment should be given to front-line NHS staff. | |
Mr Talbot has been asked for a comment. He failed to respond to an email and repeated calls over several days. | |
The BBC has been unable to establish exactly which kind of masks he is offering for sale or what price they would normally be sold for. | |
In a letter sent to residents, Mr Talbot said the availability of FFP3 masks to the general public "will be severely rationed". | |
"As a provider of healthcare services in Bath, we will be receiving a supply of FFP3 face masks next week," the letter said. | "As a provider of healthcare services in Bath, we will be receiving a supply of FFP3 face masks next week," the letter said. |
It added: "After we have supplied healthcare staff, we will have a surplus to offer our immediate neighbours who need to venture outdoors. | It added: "After we have supplied healthcare staff, we will have a surplus to offer our immediate neighbours who need to venture outdoors. |
"We would like to offer our neighbours the opportunity to have these masks for their own personal protection as well as members of the household, at £50 per mask." | "We would like to offer our neighbours the opportunity to have these masks for their own personal protection as well as members of the household, at £50 per mask." |
FFP3 respirator masks are generally considered by experts to offer the most amount of protection against coronavirus because of their effective filters. | |
Ms Hobhouse said: "It is very disappointing to see a private company selling masks to neighbouring households within our community when we know there is an ongoing shortage of PPE for key workers. | Ms Hobhouse said: "It is very disappointing to see a private company selling masks to neighbouring households within our community when we know there is an ongoing shortage of PPE for key workers. |
"I would encourage any company that finds themselves with a surplus of this equipment to donate it to front-line staff so that they can be fully protected as they are exposed to the virus." | "I would encourage any company that finds themselves with a surplus of this equipment to donate it to front-line staff so that they can be fully protected as they are exposed to the virus." |
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