Coronavirus: The government has declared masks and hand sanitisers as ''essential commodities''.
A shortage of masks and other protective gear in several parts of the country, with thousands of people either quarantined in their homes or hospitals over coronavirus fears, has prompted the Union Health Ministry to come up with three basic guidelines on who, on priority, should wear masks.
In a tweet on Monday, the ministry said "everyone need not wear a mask" and that only three categories of people need to wear. These are: 1) those who have coronavirus symptoms such as cough, fever or difficulty in breathing, 2) those who are caring for coronavirus or COVID-19 patients or suspected patients, 3) health workers attending to patients with respiratory symptoms.
"Everyone need not wear a mask. Know when and how to wear a mask," the ministry tweeted along with a set of dos and don'ts while wearing a mask.
"Everyone need not wear a mask. Know when and how to wear a mask," the ministry tweeted along with a set of dos and don'ts for those who have to wear a mask.
The government last Friday declared masks, including N95, and hand sanitisers as ''essential commodities'' because of shortage and black marketing of these items.
The Health Ministry's tweet came on a day when the number of people who died of fast-spreading coronavirus in India rose to three and those infected to over 125.
The government has notified an order under the Essential Commodities Act to declare masks and hand santisers as essential commodities up to June 30.
The decision has empowered the centre as well states to regulate production, quality, distributions of masks and hand sanitisers, and also to smoothen sale and availability of these items, and carry out operations against speculators.
A person found guilty of committing an offence under the Essential Commodities Act can be jailed up to seven years.