Wearing masks has become the new normal for many people as it’s considered an effective way to block droplets which are the primary transmission mode of COVID-19.

When the virus spread widely throughout China in January, masks rapidly went out of stock both on and offline. It was a time when many hospitals raised the alarm that supplies were running low while the public resorted to DIY measures to protect themselves.

The situation was turned around within just a month, however, with the daily mask output exceeding 10 million in February and 100 million in March. Thus, we have been able to help people in need at home and abroad. According to China Customs, China exported more than 38 billion masks from March 1st to April 4th. How has that been made possible?

Newsgd.com’s video, ‘Mask up’, will take you to the factories in Guangdong, China’s manufacturing center, and have a closer look into what they have done to convert production and enable us all to mask up.

Producer: Hu Jian, Mei Zhiqing 

Schedule Planner: Wing Zhang, Chen Weibin, Olivia Ouyang

Planner: Keane Wong

Director: Jasmine Yin, Hannah Zhou

Cross in: Hannah Zhou

Video: Jiang Yongsheng, Steven Yuen, Lai Meiya

Footage: Li Guanqi, Zheng Yijian, Shi Lei, Zhang Zhe, Luo Yunzi, Huang Mingtao, Li Ronghua

Subtitles: Jasmine Yin, Simon Haywood