In mid-July, the Health Inspectorate (MA) received test results from an accredited laboratory in Austria on samples of face masks from purchases made by the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) and the National Health Service (NSS) in March and April to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. Three of the four samples were assessed as non-compliant with the European standard, but the national authorities have not yet informed the public about the quality comments that have been made, contrary to what was previously promised. No claims were made against the suppliers, the use of masks in medical institutions was stopped a month later, followed by tests in Italy, where much better results were obtained, and the remaining masks were allowed to be used in October. The authorities shall not provide a justification for not providing information to the public and for basing the decision on one of two accredited laboratory tests.
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Already in the summer informs about “non-standard medical masks”
As already reported in spring VI, HygCen had sent four mask samples from three suppliers for testing at the Austrian laboratory, “Saules aptieka”, “GP Nord” and “Lauma Fabrics “. As the documents received by Delfi now show, the MA received the test reports from the laboratory on 17 July and informed them a few days later, on 21 July. NVD. Letter VI from the NVD states that all masks meet the requirements of the EN 14863 standard in terms of air permeability, toxicity and purity. “Solar pharmacy” masks were also assessed as compliant with the standard Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) – in this indicator they reached 98.28% – and thus the tests of these masks ended – no one questioned the quality of the masks and they were not submitted for retesting.
However, the situation was different for Lauma Fabrics and GP Nord masks. As already reported, The masks supplied by Lauma Fabrics show only 61.34% and 20.93% of BFE and 83.03% of GP Nord, respectively, and do not meet the requirements of standard EN 14863, which sets a minimum BFE limit of 95%. The letter asks the NSA to provide it with the test reports and declarations of conformity set out in the annexes to the contracts with these suppliers for “comparative analysis” and to “inform the Inspectorate of the follow-up of non-compliant medical masks”.
It should be noted that the letter also includes the Ministry of Health (MoH) as the addressee of the “information”. To the question of “Delfi TV ar Jānis Domburs”, what the activities of the MoD were after receiving this information, the Ministry replied – none: “In this case, the MoD did not take any special actions because the subordinate institutions – the Health Inspectorate and the National Health Service – acted both documentation review and organization of sampling & retesting). “
It should be recalled that, for example, GP Nord ‘s mask certificates were issued to journalists in the spring, and it was already established at that time that the certificate of conformity issued by ICR Polska, which was annexed to the contract, had been revoked on suspicion of forgery and was subsequently replaced. However, none of the Chinese laboratories listed is on the list of accredited laboratories in that country. It should also be recalled that, according to the mask acceptance notes, a small proportion of the masks carried by GP Nord, which were of the higher or IIR categories, came from a manufacturer other than the one mentioned in the contract.
On the other hand, the documents certifying compliance with the European standard attached to the Lauma Fabrics contract have still not been issued to journalists on the pretext of protecting a trade secret.
Which masks actually sent?
One week after receiving this information from the MA, the NSA sends a letter to Lauma Fabrics informing it of the results of the tests and indicating that the tests will be repeated, which the company is asked to pay for. The NSA’s written reply to Delfi’s questions, describing the letter, states that such a request was made in the light of “the company’s offer to pay for laboratory tests for medical masks”. It follows that discussions between the company and the service took place before that letter. It is not recorded in the issued documents, but the relevant NSS letter has not been issued so far, referring to the status of restricted information.
Why the results of the Lauma Fabrics tests performed by an accredited laboratory in Austria would be questionable and repetitive, it is not clear from the NSA’s answer to the Delphi questions, especially considering that the positive test test of the “Sun Pharmacy” mask prepared by the same laboratory was accepted as valid.
Meanwhile, in a reply letter signed by Edija Egliņš, Chairman of the Board of Lauma Fabrics, dated 31 July, he asked the NSA to document that masks and other items carried directly by Lauma Fabrics had been sent for inspections in Austria. April, a test report allegedly confirming the conformity of the masks carried by Lauma Fabrics to the standard in the BFE parameter. It should be noted though that this laboratory is not accredited to perform such measurements and the test report prepared by it was used as proof of the quality of its product by the now infamous SIA “TITLED”.
Delfi asked Egliņš a number of questions, including why he had doubts Health inspections honesty when sending masks for testing in Austria, what evidence is there that randomly selected masks were sent for re-testing in Italy and who requested re-testing – “Lauma” or NVD. No replies have been received so far
In August of this year, the NSA visited two laboratories in Italy, both of which were accredited to perform the test according to all standard parameters, and sent Lauma Fabrics masks for retesting, in which, as already reported, it turns out that they not only meet the minimum requirements, but even meet the standard of higher quality masks. The NSA concluded that these results were more reliable because “the principles of good practice were followed, whereby samples were delivered to the courier for re-testing on 21 August in the presence of Lauma Fabrics and it is not disputed whether the batches of masks were delivered, The Inspectorate shall withdraw the results referred to on 22 July and inform the medical treatment institutions regarding the safe use of type I surgical masks in the institutions. ”. There is still no answer to the question of Delfi, which documents describe these principles of good practice, how they have been applied in this case and which NSA official has decided on it.
Tested up to three times, the result is different each time
It should be recalled that in June, Tom Zeltins, the head of GP Nord, said, referring to a test report allegedly performed by the aforementioned Austrian laboratory, that GP Nord’s compliance with the standard is up to 99.23%.
At that time, in response to a request for information sent by Delfi TV ar Jānis Domburs in connection with this Zeltiņš statement, the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) driver Liene Cipule replied: “If you have any questions about these tests, please contact SIA GP Nord, which was the customer of the tests. NMPD has not performed the testing itself or reported to the media. I have read the test report and expressed satisfaction that the tests performed by SIA GP Nord in an accredited EU laboratory tests have confirmed the conformity of BOJCK brand masks to quality, so that they can be safely used by medical personnel as a personal protective equipment.
At the same time, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Health Inspectorate has sent samples of masks purchased in centralized procurements for inspections at the request of the former NSS director Edgars Labsvirs. Comments on the quality of masks after laboratory tests in accredited laboratories will be provided by the Health Inspectorate or the Ministry of Health. “
One month later, in tests ordered by the MA in the same Austrian laboratory, the BFE of the mask supplied by GP Nord turned out to be 83.02%, well below the standard minimum of 95%, and neither Cipule nor other officials reported it publicly. GP Nord masks were also sent for re-testing in Italy, and this time again showed a standard BFE. However, they did not fully comply with the standard anyway, because this time the masks were found to have an unprecedented problem – they had too low air permeability, which makes their use still difficult. limited.
NVD “Delfi” stated that as the main contractor with GP Nord was NMPD, it should be asked about the reasons why GP Nord masks were also tested again. However, the NMPD has so far not provided answers to Delphi’s questions.
Doctors are not warned
It should be noted that while correspondence took place between NSAs, MAs, mask suppliers and laboratories, masks of questionable quality continued to be used by doctors at that time. The MA’s request to the medical authorities to suspend the use of these masks was sent only on 18 August, more than a month after receiving the initial test results from Austria and a few days before sending the masks for re-testing in Italy. It should also be noted that the inspection warning letter issued on 18 August did not in any way distinguish between the masks supplied by “Saules aptiekas”, the quality of which was no longer questioned by the state at that time.
And, as already reported, after receiving the test reports from the Italian laboratories, on October 2, the entire mask was restored, except for the non-standard “supplied by Nord Nord”. VI did not answer the Delfi questions as to why the repeated tests were more reliable than the original ones.
It should also be noted that at the time of the re-inspections, Latvia had already received supplies of medical masks organized by the Ministry of Defense from several other companies, which had already been recognized as compliant with the standard in laboratory tests in Belgium at that time.
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