As the number of deaths due to novel coronavirus continues to rise, paranoia among people is increasing exponentially too. The scare of the pandemic has led to panic shopping for basic sanitary products that can prevent contraction of the disease, resulting in an acute shortage of face masks and hand sanitizers worldwide.
In view of the developments, the Centre is looking to launch an awareness campaign so that people stop hoarding these products in large numbers and deprive others of obtaining them. Last week, the Essential Commodities Act was invoked by the Centre to declare the afore-mentioned products as essential goods till June 30.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has already requested the health ministry to notify sanitizers, etc, as drugs with immediate effect, so that the prices can be regulated.
A government official said that myths and fake facts are being circulated about the use of face masks and hand sanitisers. Just like only persons infected with COVID-19 and medicos need to wear masks and gloves, washing hands is also more effective than applying alcohol-based sanitizers.
State FDAs have also begun raiding distributors and unauthorised manufacturing units that may be hoarding these products and selling them in the black market.
According to a report by the Business Standard, several micro, small, and medium enterprises have tapped into the opportunity to make brisk business by manufacturing hand washes, hand sanitizers, face masks, and the likes.
For instance, in the last week, the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration alone cleared about 100 product licences to make hand sanitisers. Commenting on this, HG Koshia, Commissioner, GFDCA, said the state government fast-tracked the approval for the product licences to combat the shortage of the items in the retail sector. He added: “We gave 100 licences to around 40 manufacturers to make hand sanitisers in the last week alone.”
Industry sources claim that the demand for sanitisers – which is a Rs 300-crore industry in India -- has increased 10-fold in the past month due to Coronavirus pandemic. Consequently, the prices of sanitisers, gloves, and face masks – especially the N95 masks -- have also seen a steep rise. Basic masks that would retail for Rs 10 per piece are being sold at Rs 40 per unit now; as for N95 masks, the price has shot up from Rs 150 each to Rs 500.
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