Taiwan’s supply of surgical masks is still not able to meet the demand brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. With surgical masks in short supply, cloth masks are now becoming a hot item too, the idea being that you can make a surgical mask last longer by layering a cloth mask on top of it.

True or not, the idea seems to be catching on, and prisoners are being brought in to ensure that supplies of cloth masks remain steady.

About 200 inmates at a prison in Chiayi are busy making cloth masks. That’s because surgical masks are hard to get hold of these days, and some people think they can prolong the life of surgical masks by wearing a cloth mask over the top.

The Chiayi prison produces 500 to 800 cloth masks a day. They will be ready for sale in a week. Prison staff says all other production lines have been shut down to focus on just making masks.

Medical experts however say that wearing just surgical masks is still the safest when visiting hospitals. But they say that if you are low on surgical masks and want to prolong their lives, it is important to make sure to use a cloth mask that at least fits completely around the face for full protection.