Chemists report a sharp rise in mask and hand sanitiser sales, recalling the early pandemic days.
Credit: DH PHOTO/Kishor Kumar Bolar
Bengaluru: With Covid cases on the rise, more Bengalureans are masking up outdoors, though it remains debatable whether their caution is keeping pace with the virus.
DH visited a few chemists across the city, and the establishments confirmed a sudden surge in the purchase of masks and hand sanitisers.
The owner of a pharmacy in Vasanth Nagar said that the sale of masks has gone up, attributing it partly to Covid fears and partly to the dust stirred up by roadworks in the area.
Medical stores around Ulsoor Lake reported a steady stream of customers, aged between 20 and 40, buying masks. "Offices and schools in the vicinity have boosted the sales of masks and sanitisers. We have had to order more masks," said a staffer at Safe Medicals in Ulsoor.
On Brigade Road, chemists reported a sharp rise in mask and hand sanitiser sales, recalling the early pandemic days when people stocked up. "The customers are mainly corporate employees, but college students form a major chunk," said the owner of a pharmacy in the area.
Meanwhile, pharmacies around MG Road reported little change in sales so far, though they expect an increase soon. A man at Unicare in Shivajinagar even noted a dip in mask sales.
When asked about the fastest-selling masks, most pharmacists said that although people believe N95s offer better protection, nearly everyone chooses surgical masks because they cost only Rs 5 to Rs 10 each. By contrast, N95 prices vary between Rs 40 and Rs 95.