April 15 (UPI) -- Japan's decision to distribute reusable cloth face masks to about 50 million households is backfiring, as users complain the masks are too small and are proving to be a waste of taxpayers' money.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policy of allocating two masks per household is not being well received in the country, where more than 9,000 people were confirmed for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday. A total of 179 patients have died from COVID-19, according to official statistics.
Sources at a nursing home specializing in dementia patients in Kyushu told Japanese daily Nikkan Sports the masks do not meet safety requirements, and do not fit under the chin.
The cloth masks may be similar to the mask worn by Abe at his briefings. The prime minister's cloth mask covers his mouth but exposes most parts of his face, including his chin.
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According to Nikkan Sports, the masks pose a problem for caretakers at the Kyushu nursing home. Many residents were described as hard of hearing, and caretakers are often obliged to lean in close to speak to the elderly. The masks from the government may provide insufficient protection for people living in close quarters, the report says.
Delivery alone represents about $434 million in costs, according to local reports. Critics in Japan have said the money could have been better spent elsewhere, as hospitals face shortages in protective gear and disinfectants.
NHK reported Wednesday COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the country, with Tokyo the most affected. A total of 2,446 people in the city have been confirmed to be infected. Osaka and Kanagawa prefecture are also centers of major outbreaks, according to the report.
