Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
3M Files Lawsuit Against Company Charging Outrageous Prices For N95 Masks On Amazon
The Wall Street Journal: 3M Files Lawsuit Against Merchant Selling Masks On Amazon For 18 Times List Price
3M filed a lawsuit against a merchant selling masks on Amazon. com Inc. for more than 18 times their list price, the manufacturer’s latest attempt to help bring some order to the chaotic market for protective equipment. In a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in California, 3M said Mao Yu and his affiliated companies sold what he described as 3M masks for an average price of $23.21 each on Amazon. 3M’s N95 masks, which can block 95% of very small particles including droplets containing the new coronavirus, have a list price of around $1.25. Mr. Yu charged customers over $350,000 in total, 3M and Amazon said. Mr. Yu, who 3M says lives in California, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. (Hufford, 6/8)
Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus: 150 Million BYD Masks Heading To California
California will begin receiving shipments of much-needed N95 masks from Chinese automaker BYD in the coming days after federal regulators approved the company’s respirators, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday. The masks are part of a $1-billion deal Newsom struck with BYD in April, which had been delayed after the carmaker had difficulty certifying the effectiveness of their masks. After BYD missed a second deadline to obtain the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health certification, state officials granted the company an extension on Friday. (Gutierrez, 6/8)
Boston Globe: Manufacturers Provide Lifelines During The Pandemic, For Their Employees As Well As Front-Line Workers
New Balance’s factories have cranked out running shoes in New England for decades, while nearly all of the industry’s manufacturing work left these shores. Now, the Boston company is reaching critical mass here with another product that long ago became the province of overseas factories: face masks. (Chesto, 6/9)
MPR News: As Economy Continues To Reopen, Duluth Moves To 'Normalize' Masks
For Duluth Mayor Emily Larson, wearing a mask is not something that comes easily. “It's really uncomfortable to wear a mask. I don't like it,” she admitted. “Everything about my job is a really human interaction. Seeing people's faces, understanding where people are at, that's a huge part of what I do. And I don't like the barrier it sets up." Still, the second-term mayor believes it's really important to wear one. Duluth still hasn't felt the full impact of the coronavirus, she said. (Kraker, 6/9)
