CHENNAI: As coronavirus panic grips the city, many medical supply stores have run out of surgical masks while N95 masks too are expected to be sold out soon.
Vendors of many pharmaceutical companies said that the demand for masks spiked five-fold in the past few days.
‘‘We have zero surgical masks now and the new stock may not come for at least one week,’’ said a vendor at Welcome Surgical Co in Chintadripet.
The vendor said that more than a thousand masks have been sold in the past two days and no further notice on new stocks has come.
Similarly, a vendor with Madan Surgical Corporation in Anna Salai said surgical masks were completely out of stock while the N95 masks were available but in fewer numbers. ‘‘The N95 masks too may get sold out by the night,’’ he said.
The prices of these masks too have gone up. When Express enquired about the prices of masks with a surgical company named Jose and Doss, the salesperson revealed that it may cost around Rs. 2000. However, another company named Liberty Surgicals in Anna Salai said the prices would be around Rs. 1000 while the cost of N95 masks ranges between Rs 300 and 500.
Are face masks a safe bet?
Though wearing a face mask is no guarantee of protection from the virus, it is said that masks have the capacity to prevent droplets, which are the main source of transmission of the coronavirus, as some studies have highlighted.
The World Health Organisation recommends that people wear a mask only when they are taking care of a person infected with the coronavirus.
The WHO recommendation advises people to sanitize their hands before wearing and after removing the mask. When the mask is damp, remove it immediately and drop it in a closed bin.
It is important to make sure there is no gap between your mouth and the mask, advises the WHO, adding that you should keep a one-metre distance from people who sneeze or cough continuously.
Where to buy?
The masks are sold in surgical equipment supply stores. People can Google to find the stores which are present across the city.