SURGICAL masks being worn by Scotland’s cops are not fit for purpose, the Scottish Police Federation has warned. 

The face coverings are being handed out to officers to be used when it’s not possible to adhere to social distancing measures.

But an expert panel set up by the SPF says the type two surgical mask being offered by the force doesn’t offer “meaningful protection.”

Instead, they’ve called for the roll-out of FFP3 masks, which has a face-fitted respirator and offers protection against airborne infectious agents.

Currently there around 4,000 of the disposable FFP3 masks in the force, and only officers and staff who are in contact with someone who is suspected or confirmed to have coronavirus has access to them.

SPF chairman David Hamilton said: "The demand for PPE amongst our members is understandably high and whilst we note the service is now able to issue type two surgical masks, these will not provide any meaningful protection to officers.

"The advice of our expert panel means that the Scottish Police Federation cannot endorse their use as PPE. Our panel is unanimous in its views that the primary aim of the surgical mask is to prevent the wearer from infecting anyone else; and that they offer little effective barrier to the wearer from contracting the virus.

"In short the scientific case that these masks can be used as PPE against Covid-19 has yet to be made."

Speaking on BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said there was some evidence that the type two masks offered protection.

He said: "This week the government guidance changed and we responded to that by starting the rollout of surgical masks to ensure people wearing them don't inadvertently spread the virus.

"There is evidence from the UK government and Health Protection England that these masks offer some protection to the person wearing them and we have communicated this to our staff and that's what the SPF don't agree with.

"Police Scotland has a moral and legal duty to get this right. The issue of the surgical masks isn't going to change the way they are deployed. I have highlighted to the SPF that the opinion they sought from the panel they have set up hasn't been shared with us."

The SPF's expert panel includes bacteriologist Prof Hugh Pennington and former chief medical officer Sir Harry Burns.

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