Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday that it will release 6 million surgical masks from its inventory to help local residents protect themselves against the recent novel coronavirus outbreak.
Demand for surgical masks has surged since cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in Taiwan. Last Friday, the economics ministry implemented a long-term ban on the export of surgical masks to prevent a domestic shortage.
The CDC said it will release 6 million masks to convenience stores and supermarkets across the island. Currently, customers are limited to purchasing three masks per person.
CDC officials have called on consumers not to hoard surgical masks. Local factories will resume producing masks on January 30.