Mask reuse condemned

Auckland: People seen taking used masks from public rubbish bins before boarding a train has sparked concerns among health leaders.

Research has shown the Covid19 virus can survive on disposable masks for up to seven days.

Takanini resident Graeme Marshall said he and his wife disembarked from a train at Te Mahia station in South Auckland and placed their masks in a bin.

When he looked back he saw a teenager pull masks from the bin and take them to a woman and a group of three or four younger children which appeared to be his family, some of whom were already wearing masks.

An Auckland Regional Public Health Service spokeswoman urged people not to retrieve used masks or share masks. — The New Zealand Herald