Coronavirus fears: City runs out of masks

With reports of people testing positive for coronavirus in north India, the city is running out of masks and non-contact thermometers.

With reports of people testing positive for coronavirus in north India, the city is running out of masks and non-contact thermometers.

HT Image

Non-contact thermometers allow body temperature to be detected from a distance of 15 centimetres, making it safer than traditional thermometers in case of highly-infectious diseases.

Until recently, non-contact thermometers were priced between ₹500 and ₹800 in the city. In the last three weeks, these thermometers have disappeared from most medical stores. The remaining stock is being sold at prices ranging from ₹2,500 to ₹3,000.

“Most of these thermometers are being used in clinics and hospitals for safety purposes as they doesn’t require contact with patients to read body temperatures,” said Abhay Pandey, president of All Food and Drug License Holders Foundation. “But many shop keepers who have stock are charging three to four times more than the actual price.”

HT had earlier also reported a shortage of surgical masks and N95 masks, which offer greater protection. The World Health Organization (WHO) has directed that working medical staff should wear N95 masks, but regular surgical masks are sufficient for others. Prices of regular surgical masks have increased from ₹8-10 to over ₹35. N95 masks costs around ₹75.

The higher prices are partly due to restrictions being imposed on imports from China following the outbreak in Wuhan.

“China was the main supplier of the masks but since the outbreak of the virus, supply has stopped completely,” said Prasad Danave, president of Retail and Dispensing Chemist Association, a government sactioned body.

Rakesh Bhagat, director of Magmum Medicare, a Maharashtra-based manufacturer of masks, said, “The demand for masks has gone up by almost 300% across the country. We are working round the clock to meet the demand but there is an acute shortage of raw materials.”

Raw materials for masks were also imported from China.

Danave alleged the absence of regulations was leading to substandard masks in the market. “Due to lack of a regulatory bodies, there is no check on the manufactured masks, which make the customers more susceptible to the infection,” he said.