The market is seeing shortage of face masks and hand sanitisers with coronavirus triggering bulk buying and industry sources are now speaking about the necessity for diverting supplies along with imposing a total ban on exports of these items.
The panic buying has been triggered following the reporting of new cases in India. All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists' President Jagannath Shinde told media that in the Delhi-NCR region there is shortage of hand sanitisers and face masks. He added that his organisation has asked super stockists to re-route supplies from the less affected areas to metropolitan cities, so that these items are readily made available in these places.
Government has banned N95 masks and they should ban ply 2 and ply 3 masks as well which were earmarked for exports in the notification of February 8 by DGFT. The government should also consider engaging respective state drug control authorities to ensure adequate stocks with all pharmacies are available in metropolitan cities, point out industry analysts.
