Face mask shortage should be temporary, Lopez says

A sign on the door of a pharmacy in Caloocan City North indicates a shortage of face masks in the country.

MANILA, Philippines — Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on Friday said his office has advised drug stores to reorder face masks in bigger quantities after reports of shortage in light of the confirmation of the first novel coronavirus case in the country.

After the health department confirmed that the first nCoV case here in the Philippines, many flocked to drug stores in hopes of buying face masks—leading to many drug stores depleting their stocks.

“Current shortage in some areas is due to a sudden jump in demand that even [the] reordered stocks of drug stores got wiped out immediately,” Lopez said in a text message.

This shortage, however, has to be temporary, Lopez said.

“Supply is only a problem if there [is] a sudden increase or panic in demand and stores didn’t stock up but it should be temporary because the supply of a manufactured product can easily be increased,” the trade secretary said.

Even Malacanang has stepped in and asked manufacturers to produce more amid the increasing demand.

“If there is undersupply of masks then we would request the manufacturers to produce more. In fact, they should not be requested to do that; as businessmen, they should,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters on Friday.

Concerns regarding possible hoarding also surfaced in light of the shortage, prompting the Palace to warn hoarders that they may be apprehended by police if they continue with their activity.

World Health Organization country representative, Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe earlier stressed that only people with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection are advised to wear masks and gloves.