Rabiddd

Not them but for my hospital they lock them to prevent staff from going in and stealing them while the manager isn't there

I don't think anyone is stealing them to say sell them, but to use them during work because nobody really trusts the surgical masks as they're cheap and thin. They document every mask given out, and generally don't like giving them out to anyone directly. They're generally given out directly to the department either in individual bags or boxes via transport requests, where I'm guessing most of the non-nurse staff get them from and hide them under their surgical masks. Even housekeeping aren't given any when they have to clean rooms COVID patients were in, they are just told to wear surgical masks. It's really bad now since one of the older housekeepers died from the virus, as a result they're all either calling out, wearing multiple surgical masks or sneaking them under a surgical mask. Our department is never given an N95 mask even if we are pushing a confirmed COVID patient unless it's a morgue trip so we just reuse them when the higher ups aren't looking rather than throwing them away.

This. OP I really think you should stay tight lipped as possible until it's all over.