YRMC face mask supply is secure amid global shortage

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The US Surgeon General tweeted this weekend, urging the public to stop buying face masks.

He said if masks are limited to healthcare professionals, it could put communities at risk.

Locally, drug stores are running out of face masks due to fears of the coronavirus, raising the question as to whether local hospitals are at risk.

Yuma Regional Medical Center says their face mask supply is secure, saying current conditions will not put a strain on their jobs. However if fears continue to rise along with demand for masks, it could impact local health centers in the near future.

“We definitely have had a lot of people request them, and ask for them," says Mika Naranjo, Manager of Infection Prevention at YRMC.

"If you need them, if you are immune-compromised then you definitely should be wearing a mask, but if you’re a healthy individual, then you shouldn’t need to use the mask.”

The Centers for Disease Control does not advise the regular public to use face masks to prevent getting sick from the coronavirus.

Instead, the CDC recommends good hygiene, and avoiding touching your eyes and mouth.

Nationwide drug stores are selling of masks, and some customers are even turning to online sales.

China is the world's largest producer of masks, and virus fears have left the country in a virtual stand-still.

Still, YRMC would only expect a strain if unnecessary face mask purchases continue to rise.