Public Mask Program Ends in D-6... 3 Questions You Have

On the 7th, as early summer weather continues, customers visiting Emart Traders Starfield Hanam in Hanam-si, Gyeonggi Province are purchasing disposable masks. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The public mask system will end on the 11th. It was first introduced at the end of February, shortly after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), and has been in place for about five months.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 5th, the government is considering whether to maintain the public supply system. The decision will be made after reviewing the COVID-19 epidemic situation and mask supply trends in the market.

On the same day, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety supplied 966,000 public masks nationwide. Pharmacies received 922,000 masks, and Nonghyup Hanaro Mart (excluding Seoul and Gyeonggi) received 44,000 masks. Each person can purchase up to 10 masks.

◆What will happen after the 11th? = The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is currently reviewing the design of the public mask system after the 11th with related departments. Instead of completely abolishing the public mask system, it is highly likely that a plan will be proposed to adjust the proportion of public supply by mask type.

◆Will there be a second 'mask crisis'? = With the arrival of summer, demand for health masks has sharply declined, and inventory is sufficient. Most of the public mask supply consists of health masks. The weekly average purchase volume of public masks (health and surgical masks) decreased to the 20 million range in the second week of last month from 30 to 40 million masks, about half the previous level. The number of buyers also dropped to less than 25% of the level in April, from 18.47 million in the second week of April to 4.4 million in the fourth week of last month.

◆Why not sell droplet-blocking masks as public masks? = The government initially planned for droplet-blocking masks to be naturally distributed in the private sector, unlike health (KF) masks. However, with the arrival of summer, demand for lightweight and breathable droplet-blocking masks has surged, increasing calls for the government to manage supply. On the 1st, Yang Jin-young, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, stated, "We will discuss and announce plans to supply droplet-blocking masks as public masks."