U.S. Agency Auctioned Off Small Lots of N95 Masks in February

General Services Administration auctioned masks in early February then canceled similar sales weeks later

WASHINGTON—As the coronavirus was emerging as an international concern, a U.S. government agency sold 80 cases of protective masks that are now in high demand, though it canceled another sale weeks later as the nation was bracing for a domestic outbreak, reserving them for government use.

The quantity of masks sold by the GSA was a tiny fraction of what is needed nationwide. Because of high demand, officials around the country are scrambling for additional masks, with some medical workers having to re-use them due to the shortage.