Honeywell.International companies have announced that they will close two N95 mask factories that were hastily put into production last year in response to a surge in demand during the outbreak, as fewer people wear masks in the United States as vaccines are rolled out.

A Honeywell spokesman said the closure would affect about 470 employees at the Smithfield plant in Rhode Island and 700 at the Phoenix plant.

At present, many states in the United States have stopped requiring people to wear masks, and the vaccine has given more people the confidence to give up wearing masks. "We are seeing a sharp decline in demand for N95 masks," the spokesman said. "

He said the company will continue to produce masks at its efficient automated N95 mask plant in Chandler, southeast of Phoenix.