Mask, sanitiser sales start to rebound

Amid unease over reports of Covid-19 in some countries and following advisories being issued by the government and also medical and health bodies, the sales of facemasks and sanitisers have started to pick again.

Hyderabad: Store shelves are again getting stocked with face masks and hand sanitisers, face coverings are selling at a premium online and supermarkets and other retailers are getting prepared for a surge in demand.

Amid unease over reports of COVID-19 in some countries and following advisories being issued by the government and also medical and health bodies, the sales of face masks and sanitizers have started to pick again. Protective equipment, which almost disappeared from the markets until recently, is back as mask mandatory rules reappeared in workplaces and a few other public settings.

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And store owners already feel like there is a bit of panic buying. People have been asking for face masks, hand sanitizers, and cleaning wipes for the last few days, says a store owner. There was a drop in sales of these products after the third wave but now it has begun, all over. “We are working to keep our shelves packed with COVID essentials,” says a medical store owner.

Some chemist shops have jacked up prices, selling masks that were available earlier for about Rs 30 at Rs 50 or more than that. The cost of N95 shields, too, increased twofold.

“I have sold more than 1,000 masks in the last week. Many are demanding masks in bulk. Hand sanitizers, too, are selling fast,” said another chemist.