In a press release Friday May 15th, the Government of the Northwest Territories said they were working with recipient organizations to recover orders of KN95 masks recalled by Health Canada.
The recall was issued on May 11, 2020.
Made by several overseas manufacturers, the masks were recalled because they didn’t meet the 95-percent filtration specifications for medical respirators in Canada. The release states the recalled orders were part of the support sent to communities, Indigenous governments, and non-government organizations.
GNWT officials say the masks were ordered before the Health Canada recall was issued and the territorial government is contacting the community governments and organizations who received these shipments of KN95 masks and informing them they cannot be used for medical or industrial purposes.
Meanwhile, NWT-based 62 Degrees North Medical Supplies stepped up to deliver local hand sanitizer to long-haul truckers keeping supply-chains strong.
In a release sent Friday May 15th, the NWT government announced the initiative to show gratitude to the drivers keeping shelves stocked. Awaiting long-haul truck drivers will be a free bottle of 62 Degrees North products labeled with messages of gratitude.
The product will be stocked at land boundaries and provided as supply chain workers check-in on their way through the territory. The Health Canada approved and medical-grade supplier has distributed to governments, businesses, and clinics; as well as retail to residents in the territory.
