Government urges caution over buying PPE online
The Government has issued a warning over buying personal protective equipment (PPE) online following concerns some of the products are not the required standard.
At a Government press briefing on Monday, senior civil servant Liz Canavan said some traders are claiming their PPE products have been donated to hospitals and other healthcare providers.
Ms Canavan said: “The Consumer Protection Commission is advising consumers to be conscious of donation claims being made by traders when shopping for personal protective equipment online such as face masks and hand sanitiser.
“Some online traders appear to be warning consumers that the personal protective equipment they are selling has been donated to hospitals and other healthcare providers.
“In many cases it is unclear as to whether these products are suitable for use in healthcare settings and should not be considered as an indication of suitability of standards.
“In particular, if a consumer is considering buying hand sanitiser products, you can check out the Department of Agriculture for authorised products. ”
The Government has said hardware shops should not be open to the public during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ms Canavan said: “We want to clear up confusion which has arisen in relation to hardware stores. Under current restrictions hardware stores should not be open to the general public. They are only open for emergencies and deliveries as set out in the updated retail services list as set out on www.gov.ie.”
