Government should keep promise to supply masks at affordable prices
People are still struggling to buy face masks despite the government's repeated promise to provide enough domestically amid the rapid escalation of the coronavirus outbreak.
On Sunday, 2 million masks were supplied through pharmacies and stores of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, better known as Nonghyup, following the sale of 4.9 million masks the previous day. People had to queue in long lines to buy the masks. The brouhaha eased a bit Monday after post offices began providing 650,000 masks a day, but public outcry over the ongoing shortage is still running high.
The Ministry of Education announced Sunday that 5.8 million out of the 12.7 million masks already purchased for elementary, middle and high schools would be made available to the public soon. It's a pity to see even the masks reserved for students taken away to ease the mask scarcity, however these schools will receive new masks before the school year starts. This exemplifies how incompetent and complacent the government has been in fighting the deadly virus.
When the first case of the virus outbreak was confirmed in late January, the government advised people to wear protective masks. As the number of confirmed patients spiked in just a week, masks became scarce, especially in the fear-stricken areas of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. The government intervened to alleviate the worsening situation, promising to quickly ensure a sufficient supply of masks. But most citizens were unable to buy masks owing to the government's hasty announcement of measures without first checking up on backup supplies and how they would be distributed.
Given that around 140 local manufacturers can provide 10 million masks a day, the nation has no reason to undergo confusion of this kind if they are distributed properly. The government should do whatever it can to dispel public anxiety over masks by providing them at affordable prices. People's distrust in the government will deepen if it fails to address this problem.
People are still struggling to buy face masks despite the government's repeated promise to provide enough domestically amid the rapid escalation of the coronavirus outbreak.
On Sunday, 2 million masks were supplied through pharmacies and stores of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, better known as Nonghyup, following the sale of 4.9 million masks the previous day. People had to queue in long lines to buy the masks. The brouhaha eased a bit Monday after post offices began providing 650,000 masks a day, but public outcry over the ongoing shortage is still running high.
The Ministry of Education announced Sunday that 5.8 million out of the 12.7 million masks already purchased for elementary, middle and high schools would be made available to the public soon. It's a pity to see even the masks reserved for students taken away to ease the mask scarcity, however these schools will receive new masks before the school year starts. This exemplifies how incompetent and complacent the government has been in fighting the deadly virus.
When the first case of the virus outbreak was confirmed in late January, the government advised people to wear protective masks. As the number of confirmed patients spiked in just a week, masks became scarce, especially in the fear-stricken areas of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province. The government intervened to alleviate the worsening situation, promising to quickly ensure a sufficient supply of masks. But most citizens were unable to buy masks owing to the government's hasty announcement of measures without first checking up on backup supplies and how they would be distributed.
Given that around 140 local manufacturers can provide 10 million masks a day, the nation has no reason to undergo confusion of this kind if they are distributed properly. The government should do whatever it can to dispel public anxiety over masks by providing them at affordable prices. People's distrust in the government will deepen if it fails to address this problem.
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