Thursday has seen the introduction of a new rationing program for surgical masks. The program aims to improve the distribution of masks amid soaring demand caused by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Reactions to the new program have been mixed.
Long lines formed in front of drugs stores across Taiwan Thursday morning, as people tried to get their hands on surgical masks. Each drug store had a supply of just 200 masks for adults and 50 for children.
Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, masks have been hard to come by. The government hopes to ensure fair distribution of supplies by rationing them out this way and requiring that those who want to buy masks present their national health insurance cards as ID.
Some are happy that they got their hands on masks. But many working people say they are effectively unable to get masks. That’s because by the time they get off work, stocks are long-since sold out.
The Taipei Department of Health says it will collect feedback from drug stores across the city and see if it needs to adjust the number of masks each store gets. The department also says it will relay its findings to the central government.