Face mask makers struggle to keep pace with demand amid Wuhan coronavirus worries

By THE NATION

 

 

Worries over the spreading Wuhan coronavirus have resulted in more people, especially government agencies, wearing medical masks, resulting in stocks running out in China and other Asian countries.

 

China’s local press reported that the shortage of medical masks had occurred even at e-commerce giants like Taobao and JD.com.

 

Taobao said on its website that new stocks were coming, after around 80 million face masks were sold within two days last week.

 

Meanwhile, JD.com revealed that over 126 million masks were sold from January 19 to 22 with demand still increasing.

 

Mask factories had asked workers to return to work over the Chinese New Year holidays to manufacture more quantities.

 

Mask-maker Unicharm said that it has been making medical masks around the clock, as manufacturing orders had increased tenfold.

 

3M, one of the top medical mask brands, has increased its manufacturing capacity as well. Besides, it has assured distributors that the masks would be enough to meet consumers’ demand.

 

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s local press reported that medical masks and antibiotics have run out since the last few days.

 

Macau’s government has limited to 10 the number of medical masks a person can buy at one time. The order covered local people and foreigners working legally in the country.

 

Taiwan has suspended the export of face masks for one month, until February 23, after one case of coronavirus was reported there.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381117

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-27

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

It sounds like full fledged panic has gripped China and area. 
Better safe than sorry. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

antibiotics have run out since

Take Ciprofloxacin+Cefadroxil,+Azitromycin and you'll be fine. Except for some diarrhea.

Antibiotics for viruses? Am I missing something?

where is the one busy place you cannot avoid being in contact with lots of people ?

 

Immigration Offices 

 

They should at least suspend 90 day reporting - I have to go soon and would rather not be forced into that situation mixing with many people of all nationalities in a confined space 

3 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Take Ciprofloxacin+Cefadroxil,+Azitromycin and you'll be fine. Except for some diarrhea.

I think you are confused - this is not the clap

23 minutes ago, neeray said:

It sounds like full fledged panic has gripped China and area. 
Better safe than sorry. 

A friend sent this pictures to me. Showing empty supermarket shelves and almost no cars on the this.

The pictures were taken yesterday in Dongguan city, Guangdong province. No quarantine measures have been implemented there yet but people are pretty scared.

The wife was talking to the local chemist this morning,

in the market where bus loads of Chinese stop off at,

he he says they are buying many masks to take back

home to China, along with other medicines as well.

regards Worgeordie

15 minutes ago, smedly said:

where is the one busy place you cannot avoid being in contact with lots of people ?

 

Immigration Offices 

 

They should at least suspend 90 day reporting - I have to go soon and would rather not be forced into that situation mixing with many people of all nationalities in a confined space 

Wishful and absolutely reasonable thinking but never ever going to happen. 

I am glad I live in Perth Australia.  All we get is a bout of flu every winter. Well, you cant really call it a winter compared to most countries.

The panic has gripped the world. Look on Lazada or Amazon. Many masks are sold out, and so are replacement filters. I understand that in Thailand, as the air has been out of control, and only getting worse by the year. But, worldwide? 

Face masks.. that's another penny share that I missed out on!

1 hour ago, CLW said:

A friend sent this pictures to me. Showing empty supermarket shelves and almost no cars on the this.

The pictures were taken yesterday in Dongguan city, Guangdong province. No quarantine measures have been implemented there yet but people are pretty scared.

 

 

Good heavens!  In that market, all the dead bats have been snapped up.... nothing left... ????

 

44 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

The panic has gripped the world. Look on Lazada or Amazon. Many masks are sold out, and so are replacement filters. I understand that in Thailand, as the air has been out of control, and only getting worse by the year. But, worldwide? 

Likely 3M & co were producing them in China. The capacity would go towards their domestic market now.

 

There will be a price to pay for letting China become the "factory of the world", one way or the other. Big, big mistake.

Edited January 27, 20206 yr by DrTuner

40 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Good heavens!  In that market, all the dead bats have been snapped up.... nothing left... ????

I think you can still go out in the night and catch one, best eaten fresh to get the maximum effect. Alooyyyalooyyyy. Or whatever they say there in the dark ages.

2 hours ago, smedly said:

They should at least suspend 90 day reporting - I have to go soon and would rather not be forced into that situation mixing with many people of all nationalities in a confined space 

Do the report on-line or by mail. 

 

Not a valid reason to stop 90day reporting.  There are many other reasons to stop 90 Day reporting but this is not one of them!

15 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Do the report on-line or by mail. 

 

Not a valid reason to stop 90day reporting.  There are many other reasons to stop 90 Day reporting but this is not one of them!

I simply would rather not go to an office and mix with lots of foreign people at this time, I might get an agent to do it, 100baht and I don't need to go near the Immigration office

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

Good heavens!  In that market, all the dead bats have been snapped up.... nothing left... ????

 

I heard seafood markets are a good place to buy bat meat ????

13 hours ago, webfact said:

Mask-maker Unicharm said that it has been making medical masks around the clock, as manufacturing orders had increased tenfold

Normal surgical masks only partially protect, they also importantly stop you from touching your face. The P2 masks or equivalent as in the picture are much better also wrap around glasses protect the eyes that can also be infected.If a global emergency is declared then better to get hold of the better masks and wear glasses.Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. 

10 hours ago, jaiyen said:

I am glad I live in Perth Australia.  All we get is a bout of flu every winter. Well, you cant really call it a winter compared to most countries.

Well I live in Perth as well and a Chinese student was confirmed with having the virus.

But I am not really worried as such.

THis is how the smart people make money.