A section of Kenyans are washing used and disposed Surgical Masks and selling them back to innocent and gullible Kenyans for use to protect themselves against Corona Virus (Covid19 in Kenya).

It is said that most of these surgical masks have already been used by health workers in Kenyan hospitals, in their line of duty, attending to patients, who possibly are at risk of corona virus or have corona virus, in the first place.

Therefore, despite the fact that a few Kenyans, in dire need of making quick cash from the rising demand for face masks, they are posing a significant risk to other Kenyans by selling the used and washed surgical masks.

A couple of pictures have been making rounds on social media, revealing some Kenyans collecting dumped face masks and washing them, before selling them out to innocent Kenyans.

This has attracted a lot of reactions from a section of Kenyans and celebrities alike, including Mzazi Willy M. Tuva (A celebrated radio presenter at Radio Citizen and Mseto East Africa), who came out vehemently to condemn the acts by few individuals whose sole aim is to make quick money at the expense of others. Tuva said that these people are driven by greed, and asked the authorities to take stern action against them, stating that the surgical masks are not supposed to be reused as they have already been disposed.

The government of Kenya also came out to condemn the act strongly, claiming that the perpetrators will be brought to book; further urging Kenyans to buy face masks only from recognized and approved retailers/tailors to enhance their safety against corona virus.

But the question remains whether those who have already bought and used the washed surgical masks are safe from contracting corona virus that is already a 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Kenya.

And how about the hospitals disposing of surgical masks, are they culpable? Is there a way to dispose them avoid contact with people, as a measure of preventing further spread of covid19 pandemic in Kenya and the rest of the world?

Used surgical masks pose risk to spread of corona virus in Kenya.