Coronavirus: Govt removes certain kind of gas masks, surgical blades from banned export list

New Delhi, Feb 26: The government has removed eight more items including a certain kind of gas masks and surgical blades from the list of banned export items, according to a commerce ministry notification.

Last month, the government had put a ban on exports of all kinds of personal protection equipment including N-95 masks and masks used to protect people from air borne particles amid outbreak of deadly Coronavirus in China.

On February 8, the government removed surgical masks and gloves from the banned list. According to a notification of the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT), eight more items are now "freely exportable".

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These items are - all ophthalmic instruments and appliances except medical goggles; surgical blades; non-woven shoe covers; breathing appliances used by airmen, divers, mountaineers or firemen; gas masks with chemical absorbent for filtration against poisonous vapour, smoke, gases; HDPE (high-density polyethylene) tarpaulin/plastic tarpaulin; PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) conveyor belt and biopsy punch.

"However, export of all other personal protection equipment including N-95 masks or other items not specified in the exceptions above shall remain prohibited," it said.