WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2020) The United States will detain exports of vital protective medical equipment for evaluation needed to fight the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Customs and Border protection (CBP) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said in a statement.
"CBP will detain shipments of the PPE [personal protective equipment] specified in the President's Memorandum while FEMA determines whether to return the PPE for use within the United States; to purchase the PPE on behalf of the United States; or, allow it to be exported," the statement said.
The agencies explained that supplies subject to the new policy include N95 respirator masks and a variety of filtering and air-purifying respirators, surgical masks and nitrile gloves.
The list was prepared by President Donald Trump who issued a directive last Friday to keep scarce medical resources within the United States for domestic use.
