Target Apologizes For Selling N95 Masks Amid Shortage; Donates To Health Dept.

(RTTNews) - Retailer Target Corp. apologized for selling N95 masks, which are critical to fight coronavirus or Covid-19, in Seattle stores amid severe shortage in hospitals, noting that it was an "error." The company pledged to donate the masks to the health department.

The company tweeted, "Today in select Seattle stores, N95 masks were available for purchase in error. We're removing & donating them to the WA State Dept. of Health. We're also reviewing inventory for additional masks to be donated."

Target issued apology after a photo of the masks at a store appeared on social media.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee also responded to the photo, saying that his office stepped in to get the masks to health care workers who need them.

N95 mask, which blocks at least 95 percent of very small test particles, comes under personal protective equipment or PPE that are used to fight against respiratory diseases, including coronavirus or COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC does not recommend that the general public wear N95 respirators to protect from such illness. They are, rather for healthcare workers.

The country is facing severe shortage of PPE as the coronavirus cases skyrocket and the doctors and nurses are forced to work without masks or reuse them.