Media focus: emergency supplies of face masks appear in the world

Report on March 5 The media said that the new crown pneumonia epidemic storm swept the world, and the masks became the global focus for a while.

Global Shortage

According to a report from the US "Critical Point" website on March 3, the World Health Organization warned in a statement on the 3rd that panic buying of masks could lead to "life at risk" for medical personnel.

It is reported that the frightened public has been snapping up masks and other equipment recently, resulting in very limited supply to the medical staff who most need this equipment.

At present, health experts, including experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, do not recommend that healthy people wear masks to prevent diseases such as new coronary pneumonia. However, people are still buying masks, and the purchases are so large that the WHO is concerned that those who need them most will not be able to buy them.

"In the absence of a stable supply chain, health care professionals around the world face real risks. We can't stop the new coronavirus without protecting health care staff first," said WHO Director-General Tan Desai.

WHO estimates that health workers need 89 million masks per month, 76 million pairs of gloves and 1.6 million goggles.

Buy in line

According to a report on the website of the Korean "Central Daily" on March 4th, as of 3rd, after three days of mask sales at post offices across South Korea, citizens are still suffering because of shortages in the supply of masks and the way they line up to buy. Some people came to the post office at 3.50 in the morning to wait in line for more than 7 hours to get 5 masks.

A total of 700,000 masks were sold at post offices across the country on the 3rd. Buyers can only buy one set of five at a time, priced at 5,000 won (approximately $ 4.2). At present, the distribution of masks is tilted towards the areas of Daegu and Ching-do, where the number of newly diagnosed coronaviruses has soared. In the remaining areas, only 85 sets of masks are supplied per post office per day.

It is reported that because most post offices can only buy masks in front of 85 people, citizens have to go to the post office to line up in the morning. At the door of a post office in Daegu, an 80-year-old man waited at 3:50 in the morning and waited for 7 hours before he got the "No. 1" number plate and successfully bought 5 masks.

Emergency Expropriation

In addition, according to the German news TV channel website reported on March 3, due to the rapid spread of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the French government requisitioned all mask stocks. President Macron announced on Twitter: "We requisition all mask stocks and production lines." He said the masks will be distributed to medical staff and French people infected with the new crown virus. The government also hopes to prevent panic buying.

Minister of Health Olivier Velan said France has so far released 10 million masks from its strategic reserves to make them available to hospitals and doctors through pharmacies across the country. France's total reserve of masks is about 160 million. Many pharmacies have sold out masks. Some sellers started touting at high prices.

Hundreds of citizens in Daegu, South Korea, line up to buy masks (The Guardian website)