Israel to mass-produce reusable masks for $2 a pop -- report

In the backdrop of the new government requirement requiring Israelis to wear a face covering when they leave their homes, the Health and Defense ministries have launched a project to manufacture reusable masks made of high-density cotton, Reuters reports.

The masks can be disinfected by washing in a 140°F (60°C) laundry cycle and reused for weeks at a time, according to the report.

Nearly a dozen workshops, including one in jails, are producing the masks.

“While the state covered that initial cost, the plan is to produce further masks for sale in shops at around $2 each,” Reuters reports.

“Each mask can be used tens of times. By buying five masks for less than $10, you are set for a few months,” project manager Amit Ben-Kish tells Reuters.