The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Masks in short supply

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Wednesday, Aug 12, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Masks in short supply

Chitra V. Ramani

Bangalore: The protective mask has become the metaphor for swine-flu. With fear spreading much faster than the virus, the demand for disposable masks has increased so much that many pharmacies in Bangalore have already run out of stocks. There are a few enterprising pharmacists who are selling the masks at inflated rates.

The Hindu visited a few pharmacy chains to check if the masks were available. While three-layered masks are priced between Rs. 7 and Rs. 15, the price of the N-95 masks ranges from Rs. 150 to Rs. 600, depending on the availability.

Some pharmacists whom The Hindu spoke to said that they had placed orders for both types of disposable masks. “Many people have been asking for the masks for their wards. One parent said that the teachers had advised the children to take precautions,” a chemist said.

Medical practitioners, on the other hand, aver that disposable masks are not really required. A clean cotton handkerchief will serve the purpose. Healthcare workers need the N-95 masks, recommended by the Centre for Disease Control, U.S., as they do not allow even a micron of the virus to enter the respiratory system.

Shashidhar Buggi, Director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, said that the disposable N-95 masks are required only for the healthcare workers, who are in contact with the infected persons. “The general public need not go in for these masks that are being sold at high prices in the market. If they really want to get a mask, then the three-layered mask will suffice. They must discard it if it gets wet.”

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