As cases spike, masks fly off shelves of med shops in city

GUWAHATI: Local pharmacies in the city have reported a steep surge in the demand for masks, as the number of Covid cases continue to rise in the city and beyond.
Medicine outlets in the city TOI spoke to said the demand for masks and sanitisers started since the last week and has peaked in the last two days. However, most of them said there is no real shortage of masks in the city yet.
“We used to sell 20-25 masks a day.Now there has been a recent increase in demand. We are selling over 100 pieces a day in the past two days,” Naresh Agarwal, sales manager of Bohagi pharmacy in Ulubari area, told TOI.
Manager of Life Pharmacy in the city said though there has been a spike in the demand of sanitizers and masks, distributors have sufficient stock.
Jitu Barman of Hemlata Medical Hall said the sales of mask and hand sanitizers have gone up by over 50% in the last four days.
City resident Shanti Das, who was seen buying masks, told TOI that as the Covid infections are on rise again, she can’t risk her and her family’s life by not wearing masks. “I just want to make sure that we are safe and according to doctors, masks can prevent spread of the disease,” she said.
People, however, continued to flout Covid protocol, with markets remaining crowded and most people seen without wearing masks.
The business hub of the city — Fancy Bazaar — saw a huge congregation of people without masks and social distancing even after repeated appeals from police and civil administration. “Your mask is the great wall between your life and the coronavirus. Don’t risk it, wear the mask and save lives,” Assam Police said in a Tweet.
Sisir Dev Kalita, secretary general, Assam Chamber of Commerce, said, “As the government said there will be no lockdown, there is no panic among traders and customers. Though the supply chain was disrupted last year due to the lockdown, this year we are fully prepared.”