Macau to distribute 20m face masks from tomorrow

Macau will  distribute 20 million face masks and restrict the conditions of their sale to handle a shortage that has affected nearly half of Macau’s pharmacies. The masks will be available from Friday, officials say.

According to the Health Bureau (SSM), 160 of the city’s 294 pharmacies do have masks in stock. Only one out of eight masks distributors in the city still had stock as of yesterday afternoon, the Macau Daily Times reported. Macau residents and others can still purchase masks from supermarkets.

Yesterday, the SSM disclosed the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Macau at a 5:00 p.m. press conference.

The health authority said Macau had registered 23 suspected Wuhan coronavirus cases. And 18 of them had been already cleared, four are undergoing testing.

Within hours of the disclosure, local residents took to social media to protest about high prices at some local shops. Social media buzzed yesterday with reports and photographs of the price increases for such products.

The Times said it learnt that the prices for the N95 particle respirator masks have at least doubled, with the same happening for the more commonly used surgical masks. According to some reports, the price for such masks in some shops has risen by five-fold.

The SSM announced yesterday that, starting from today, some 20 million stockpiled masks will be distributed to about 50 pharmacies in partnership with public health institutions. They will be ready for collection by the public by tomorrow, according to the SSM.

These masks will only be supplied to local residents, with each Macau identification card entitling the holder to purchase up to 10 masks at one time. Only after 10 days can the same Macau ID be used to buy masks again.