MFDS Chief: "Mask Supply Shortage... Elderly and Children Limited to 2 Masks Per Person"

Around 7 a.m. on the 5th, at a pharmacy in Jongno 5-ga, Seoul. A sign on the entrance door states that masks are sold out. Photo by Yeonju Kim, Intern Reporter yeonju1853@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] Lee Ui-kyung, Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, stated on the 6th regarding the government guideline that limits the purchase of public masks at pharmacies to 2 per person per week, "The current supply volume is not sufficient."

Commissioner Lee appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the same day and said, "After excluding the demand from various medical personnel and vulnerable groups, about 40 to 50 million masks will be distributed to the public."

He added, "Two masks per person are insufficient," and said, "Purchases may also be possible in the private sector, and for those who are healthy, do not work in enclosed spaces, or stay at home, and those who have already purchased many masks, the demand is considered low. If such people make some concessions, I hope the system will work."

The government limited the purchase limit of public masks sold through pharmacies to 2 per person per week starting from the 6th.

When asked, "If someone cannot purchase this week, can they buy 4 masks next week?" Commissioner Lee replied, "No. The purchase cycle ends after one week and does not carry over to the following week."

Regarding the guideline that prohibits proxy purchases for the elderly or children, he explained, "The government has really thought a lot about this. Because the supply is very limited, we decided to strictly enforce this system under the principle of trying it out, so although it may be inconvenient, it is an unavoidable policy," and added, "There is an exception for people with disabilities."

On the use of disposable masks and the effectiveness of cloth masks, he said, "Basically, if used in places with low contamination risk, reuse is possible," but also noted, "Strictly speaking, disposable masks are for one-time use, and overseas standards recommend not exceeding 5 uses unless otherwise advised by the manufacturer."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.