Coronavirus sparks a 'war for masks' as accusations fly

CNN Updated 11:54 AM ET, Fri April 3, 2020

(CNN)"As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across Europe and the United States, a global scramble for protective equipment such as masks and gloves is underway. In France they are calling it the "guerre des masques" – the war of the masks.

Some French officials have even alleged that their consignments from China have been hijacked by Americans.

The presidents of two regions in France have claimed that American customers – without specifying who – have tried to pay Chinese suppliers three or four times the agreed price to get critical supplies diverted.

Renaud Muselier, president of the Sud region, alleged in several interviews that an order from one French region had been bought by the Americans for cash – and the plane that was due to fly to France had instead gone to the US.

Muselier was asked by CNN affiliate BFM-TV whether masks had been taken by Americans at Chinese airports. He replied: "Exactly," before adding, "There is a foreign country that paid three times the price of the cargo on the tarmac. So the masks are gone and the region that ordered them has been destitute."

Muselier later tweeted that masks for his own region were on their way and had "not been bought by a foreign power."

Contacted by CNN, Muselier referred further questions to the French Foreign Ministry, which said Thursday it was looking into the reports.

Jean Rottner, the president of another French region – Grand Est – echoed Muselier's remarks, telling French radio network RTL that it was a daily battle to secure orders. "It's true," he claimed, "that on the tarmac the Americans arrive, take out cash and pay three or four times more for the orders we have made, so it's necessary to fight.""

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/03/europe/coronavirus-masks-war-intl/index.html

veteran survivor of mask war pepe

so you see how the MSM is pushing panic

sensationalizing and exasperating fear