BENGALURU: As soon as a case from Bengaluru was added to the list of Indians affected by COVID-19, people rushed to buy surgical and N95 masks, besides hand sanitisers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this disease can spread through viral droplets ejected from a person’s mouth while coughing, sneezing and even talking.
With this, demand for masks went up, and manufacturers and distributors are saying that their mask stocks are emptying out, and prices have gone up from 80 paise per piece just two months ago, to Rs 25 apiece in the wholesale market.
“These masks were imported before September. Now, prices have increased almost 100 per cent. Availability of masks has also come down, while enquiries for them have gone up. We have not procured masks from China. India will have to manufacture them,” said Gnana Murthy, director of a mask distribution company.
Rajesh Mohan, managing director of Shan Surgicals and Co, a company that deals with surgical masks and N95 masks, said that availability will be low if the government doesn’t procure more masks. Examination gloves and hospital gowns are also not available, he said.
“In just one day’s time, when the first case of coronavirus was reported in India, prices went up to Rs 12 per mask. Now, the retail price is Rs 28-Rs 30 for a normal mask and Rs 250 to Rs 800 for an N95 mask,” he said.
The central government has procured around 3lakh masks, but these might not be sufficient, claim pharma companies. “We are getting demands from schools, hospitals and even temples for bulk supply of masks,” said Rajesh Muralidhar of Murali Medicals in Basavanagudi.
Meanwhile, pharmacies are stocking up masks and sanitisers. Hand sanitisers might also soon run out of stock, said a pharmacy owner.
Masks not foolproof
Medical experts said it is not necessary to wear masks if you are not:
A medical worker
Infected with COVID-19
In close contact with infected patients
Caretaker of an infected person
In the outbreak zone
Showing any flu-like symptoms