Coronavirus: Kerala surgical shop sells face masks for Rs 2

Kochi: At a time when many pharmacies are charging exorbitant prices for the face masks and hand sanitisers in the backdrop of high demand due to the coronavirus pandemic, a surgical shop owner here is selling masks just for Rs 2.

The supplies of masks and sanitisers have been limited and are being sold at higher prices than normal due to inflated demand following a surge in Covid-19 cases in the country.

However, the surgical store in Kerala has decided to stick to the original costing and has so far sold over 5000 masks in the last two days.

Nadheem, the co-owner of a surgical shop in Kochi, said: "We have sold around 5000 masks at Rs 2 each in two days. We decided to sell masks at a reasonable price especially to the common people like hospital staff and students."

Thasleem PK, co-owner of Cochin Surgicals, said: "We have been selling masks at Rs 2 for the last 8 years. But now, the rate has gone up everywhere. We bought the masks at Rs 8 or Rs 10 and are selling at Rs 2, while others are selling at Rs 25."

The government has declared face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities for the next 100 days to prevent hoarding of these items in its fight against coronavirus.

The central government has invoked the Disaster Management Act 2005 to allow the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to regulate the availability and prices of surgical and protective masks, hand sanitizer and gloves.

Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared it as a pandemic. Globally, at least 145374 confirmed cases have been reported and more than 5400 people have lost their lives due to the disease. So far, India has detected 93 positive cases of Covid-19.

Read also: Coronavirus Update: Sanitizers, surgical masks, n95 masks, gloves brought under Essential Commodities Act