GLASGOW 19 Apr (ANA) - A plane carrying around 10 million face masks and other vital pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) has landed in Scotland after taking off from China. The charter flight touched down at Glasgow Prestwick Airport on Saturday morning. Equipment is being distributed to health and social care facilities by NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) amid ‘unprecedented demand’ from the Covid-19 pandemic. The plane, operated by a company called Air Bridge Cargo, also brought infusion pumps for intensive care units and virus collecting kits for use in health laboratories. The Scottish Government says it has delivered more than 50 million pieces of PPE to hospitals in the last seven weeks, while GPs were given eight weeks’ supply on March 30. Trade minister Ivan McKee said: ‘Scotland’s health and social care system is facing unprecedented demand. For our Coronavirus live blog click here. The boxes marked ‘face mask’ arrive on a crate at the airport (Picture: NHS National Services Scotland)‘Protecting staff working on the front line is an absolute priority which is why we have been working at pace with the NHS and manufacturers both in Scotland and internationally to improve and increase the supply of PPE. ‘This charter flight, carrying additional equipment ordered by the Scottish Government, is significant and we will be focusing the distribution of these supplies to health and social care settings over the coming days. ‘In these incredibly challenging times the Scottish Government will continue to do all it can to make health and social care staff feel as safe as possible in their workplace.’ As well as the 10 million Type IIR fluid-resistant masks, the plane also carried virus testing kits for use in health board laboratories.(ANA)

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