Kerala Medical Store Gives Away Face Masks For Rs 2 To High-Risk Patients. 5,000 Sold In 2 Days

Ever since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, people across the world have gone on a panic buying spree. Stores across the board have been running short of essential medical commodities like face masks and hand sanitisers.

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In the wake of the growing crisis, one shop in Kerala has amped up its efforts to make masks easily affordable. According to The New Indian Express, a distributor of surgical items in Kerala has been distributing face masks to high-risk groups at the original rate of Rs 2.

With the growing demand of face masks, the original price tag which was Rs 2 a piece soared to Rs 20, but this store decided to stick to the original costing and has so far sold nearly 5000 masks.

Taslim PK, the proprietor of Cochin Surgicals in Kochi, told TNIE that he sold the masks to people belonging to the high-risk group, including hospital staff, KSEB employees and High Court staff.

TOI/ Picture for representation

¡°We used to distribute the mask at the rate of Rs 2 per piece till last month. However, now the price has shot up and I purchased the latest consignment for Rs 8 per piece recently. Considering the health risk posed by the outbreak, I am distributing the mask to high-risk groups at the original rate,¡± the daily quoted Taslim as saying.

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As the Union government has banned the export of N95 category masks, the prices have crashed. The mask, which was sold at Rs 250 per piece is now available for Rs 150.

The COVID-19 virus has infected 83 people in India so far, while two lives have been lost to the disease declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. Kerala has reported 19 cases of the infection so far.