"Managers Can Buy, Regular Employees Can't" Office Workers Watchfully Following the 'Mask 5-Day Rotation' Rule

Some Office Workers Feel No Impact from 'Mask 5-Day Rotation'
"It's Not a Government Issue but a Company Autonomy Issue," Workers Complain
Rank-Based Mask Purchasing Situations Arise According to Job Position
Government Encourages KF80 Production Instead of KF94... Considering Expanding Mask Supply

On the afternoon of the 13th, at a pharmacy located in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul. A long line of office workers waiting to buy masks during lunch break stretches out. Photo by Joohee Kang, Intern Reporter kjh818@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kang Joo-hee] # For A, a 30-something office worker, buying a mask is like catching a star from the sky. A, who mainly works indoors, qualifies for the 'Mask 5-Day Rotation System' but cannot go to the pharmacy immediately, resulting in repeated failed attempts. A lamented, "I don't think this is just my problem. I've heard other colleagues say the same." He added, "However, this is not a government issue but a matter of company autonomy, so it's a bit difficult to complain. It's frustrating."

Although the 'Mask 5-Day Rotation System,' which allows each person to buy two masks per week only on the designated day based on their birth year, is in effect, some office workers are voicing complaints that they cannot leave work to buy masks during working hours.

They have to visit the pharmacy early and line up, but they cannot go after arriving at work due to preparations, and even if they want to use their lunch break, they hesitate to ask because of their boss's watchful eyes, ultimately failing to buy masks.

In fact, many posts from office workers complaining about the difficulty of purchasing masks have recently appeared on online communities. B, who works in Incheon, said, "I tried to find masks at pharmacies near the company during lunch break, but I had to turn back after seeing long lines everywhere."

Meanwhile, C (28), who works at an ophthalmology clinic in Gangnam, said, "I can't even dream of leaving my post to buy masks during work hours," adding, "I work at a large hospital with over 200 employees, and going alone to buy masks makes me feel self-conscious."

Overall, some office workers are in a situation where they cannot properly buy masks despite the implementation of the 'Mask 5-Day Rotation System.' If they miss their designated day to purchase masks, they have to wait a week excluding weekends. Even on weekends, office workers with schedules cannot go to pharmacies to buy masks.

On the afternoon of the 11th, citizens waiting in line to purchase masks are standing in front of a pharmacy near Jongno-gu Office in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As a result, a purchase situation by job rank under the so-called 'Mask 5-Day Rotation System' has emerged. Managers, who can relatively freely manage their work hours, line up at pharmacies when they open and buy masks comfortably. Deputy general managers and above are the same.

However, employees at the assistant manager level and below sometimes give up buying masks altogether. They cannot even bring up the topic during work preparation right after arriving or during lunch break due to their boss's watchful eyes, and even if they visit the pharmacy after lunch, they give up buying masks fearing they might be late returning to work because of long lines.

D, a mid-20s office worker, said, "At least in my department, if I explain my situation, I can take time," but lamented, "From what I've heard from colleagues at other companies, they can't even mention it." He added, "Even if I say something and go buy a mask, the line is so long that I worry about when I can return to work."

Meanwhile, the government has decided to encourage the production of KF80 masks instead of KF94, which uses relatively more filters, to increase mask production.

Currently, KF80 accounts for less than 5% of mask production. More than 90% of companies produce KF94 masks. KF99 masks account for 2-3%. Increasing KF80 mask production is expected to naturally expand mask supply.

On the 12th, Yang Jin-young, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, said at a mask supply briefing, "Statistics show that switching production from KF94 to KF80 reduces raw material usage by 20%, while production can increase up to 1.5 times," adding, "We are encouraging companies to produce KF80 masks instead of KF94 to expand supply."

Yang said, "Once supply is secured and the Mask 5-Day Rotation System is well established, we will discuss additional expansion plans with related ministries for those who have difficulty purchasing masks through proxies."

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