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| Mask no more - the mad rush for masks in HK continues, even as the government assures millions are on their way |
Millions of surgical masks are said to be on their way to Hong
Kong from China
But the announcement of the good news on Jan 30 did not slow
down a mad rush for masks, especially after online orders by Hong
Kong people were cancelled by overseas suppliers, citing a lack of
fresh supply.
As the search for masks intensified, Hong Kong Customs
raided a pharmacy in Mong Kok and seized 68,000 masks with suspicious
manufacturing dates and arrested a 27-year-old man who was in charge of the
store.
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| Authorities posted photos of the dubious face masks on the government website |
Dispensaries with some stashed masks took advantage of the shortage
to make huge profits, with their prices ranging from $180 to $250 for a
50-piece box. At least one dispensary on Hennessy Road
The long queues at Watson’s Pharmacy outlets disappeared on
Friday after the stores put up orange posters saying they had run out of masks
as well as alcohol and handrubs.
News of the impending or ongoing delivery of 32 million
masks from China were disclosed after the fourth meeting of the government committee
on the crisis convened by Chief
Executive Carrie Lam on Thursday, Jan. 30.
“Having regard to the advice of experts, the Steering
Committee cum Command Centre considered that it is necessary to prioritize the
supply of surgical masks,” a government spokesman said in a press release on
Thursday.
He said priority should be given to healthcare workers and
personnel providing care services; people in the public transport, emergency
services and immigration services, and other members of the public with
practical needs.
The experts encourage other members of the public to go out
less frequently and pay attention to personal hygiene so as to minimize the
need to use surgical masks, he said.
The pneumonia-like disease that spread from Wuhan City , Hubei
Since mid-January, customs officers on both sides of the
border have been working on sending to Hong Kong
nearly 8 million masks that the Central government had promised. That batch has
arrived or will soon arrive, the spokesman said.
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| The Philippine Consulate has requested 100,000 masks from Manila for OFWs |
The government is also working on acquiring another batch of
more than 24 million masks from China
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| Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love. |
The only local producer of surgical masks has already doubled
its overall output from 800,000 a month to 1.6 million at the government’s
request, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, relevant government departments and the Hospital
Authority maintain a certain number of masks as stockpile, but their consumption
rate over the past month had increased five to six times the previous rate due to
the outbreak.
The spokesman said the Government Logistics Department’s stockpile
can meet one to two months’ operational needs of these departments, in
particular front-line officers, such as Health, Immigration, Customs and Excise
staff, and Fire Services ambulance men.
The Hospital Authority said its stockpile of surgical masks is
adequate for about three months’ consumption, although it has diminished
recently.
The GLD is sourcing globally and has contacted more than 220
suppliers from over 10 countries. Nearly 5 million masks ordered over the past
month have been delivered to Hong Kong since
last week.
