SINGAPORE, Oct 21 — Singapore has begun releasing N95 masks from its national stockpile to retailers after a surge in demand amid persistent haze left some shops temporarily running out of supplies.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said yesterday that it had stepped in to support retailers following reports of temporary shortages, even as it sought to reassure the public that overall supplies remained sufficient, CNA reported.

“Our checks show that retailers and retail pharmacies have sufficient supplies in their warehouses,” a ministry spokesperson said.

The ministry acknowledged that some outlets had temporarily run low on masks while awaiting fresh deliveries.

“MOH maintains a stockpile of N95 masks, or equivalent, and has released the stockpile to support retailers to manage the demand,” it said.

The intervention comes as Singapore grapples with persistent haze, prompting residents to seek protection against polluted air and driving up demand for masks and air purifiers.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) had raised concerns over the weekend after receiving reports of N95 mask shortages at some retailers, while air purifiers had also sold out at certain outlets.

CASE president Melvin Yong said inspections conducted last Friday found N95 masks sold out at some retail outlets, although major retailers had sufficient stocks in their warehouses and were working to replenish supplies.

The consumer watchdog also warned against overbuying and urged the public to avoid unverified sellers on social media and other secondary marketplaces, where buyers could be exposed to scams.

MOH said N95 masks and their equivalents remained available at NTUC FairPrice outlets and major pharmacy chains, including Guardian, Unity and Watsons.

It was also working with supermarket chains Cold Storage, Giant and Sheng Siong to make the masks progressively available across all their outlets by the end of this week.

Consumers were urged to buy only what they needed to prevent unnecessary wastage and avoid placing further strain on retail supplies.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu visited a FairPrice warehouse on Monday to review mask supplies and restocking efforts, having previously assured residents that Singapore had adequate reserves.

The government began distributing N95 masks to vulnerable residents last week after hourly PM2.5 readings reached the very high range on October 14.

MOH said KN95, FFP2 and KF94 masks were also effective at reducing exposure to haze particles.