GEORGE TOWN, Oct 5 — Pharmacies here are running out of face masks as the haze situation worsens.
Natural Healthy Living pharmacy managing director Ong Gim Chye said he had ordered triple the usual supply following the surge in demand.
“All of our N95 masks were sold out on Friday. The three-ply mask is selling fast, too,” he said.
“We have ordered both types of face masks and we expect fresh stocks to arrive tomorrow.”
Ong said the state government should give out face masks to the public, especially school children, because of the poor air quality.
Retail executive Nur Atiqah Azman said the pharmacy she worked in at Prangin Mall would be receiving fresh supplies of masks tomorrow.
“Many are buying in bulk and we ran out of stock on Saturday,” she said.
Najwa Hamali, a health adviser at a pharmacy in First Avenue Mall, said 150 pieces of N95 masks and 500 three-ply masks were snapped up in just three days.
“The masks would usually be on display and nobody would buy them. But within days, many have bought them,” she said.
A pharmacist in Jalan Macalister said he was not selling face masks in bulk.
“We are selling the masks for health reasons, not to take advantage of the situation. My customers are allowed only a limited number of masks,” he said.
The prices of the masks were almost the same at all pharmacies — RM6 each for N95 masks and 60 sen to RM1 for the three-ply masks, which are in packs of five.
