Coronavirus: NHS staff supplied with out-of-date face masks with stickers over expiry dates

Staff flagged the concern but senior management said the masks were safe to use

NHS staff fighting the coronavirus were supplied with expired face masks from the government with two more recent "best-before" stickers masking the original expiry date.

Pictures show unsealed and unopened boxes of 3M masks with two best before stickers stuck over the original expiry date printed, of 24/05/2012.

The box was said to have arrived to NHS staff at South West Ambulance Service on Thursday in a bid to equip staff with tools to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

A large expiry stamp marked 31/05/19 was on the side of the box as it arrived but when removed it revealed a large yellow sticker underneath marked 31/05/16.

When that sticker was scratched off, the original expiry date was found to be printed on the box.

Sources claim the confusion was flagged to senior management within the NHS but it was relayed that the government had tested the masks and they were safe to use.

It comes just days after the government announced it would send out over 1.7 million pieces of PPE to NHS staff as it sought to ramp up the UK's fight against coronavirus.

A source said: “It's just very uncomfortable.

“It's not on the mask itself just the box. It makes you question whether they sent it out in the hope that staff wouldn't bother looking.

“Staff are told early on that expiry dates are there for a reason.

“At the moment staff feel as though it's a case of flipping a coin and seeing whether or not they contract it.

Two more recent stickers were used to cover the original expiry date (SWNS)

“With the three different stickers — it's just a case of when is it good for?

“It was flagged to director level but they have said tests have been carried out and they are fine to use.

“Staff were also told masks are safe to use within five years of the original best before date.

“But even if that is the case, that would mean the cut off point would be 2017.

“But it's all very vague and no one has seen the results from these tests.”

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “Some products may appear to have out-of-date ‘use by/expiration’ dates or have relabelled ‘use by/expiration’ dates.

“Please be assured products we are issuing have passed stringent tests that demonstrate they are safe.

“As part of the tests the PPE is exposed to extreme conditions for prolonged periods to see how the product deteriorates.

“Any that are not up to standard are destroyed and are not distributed to trusts.”

SWNS