Date Published: 22/04/2020
ARCHIVED - Facemask price limit set at 96 cents
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
The maximum price includes VAT and is for surgical standard masks only
Salvador Illa, the Minister for Health in the Spanish government, announced on Tuesday evening that the maximum price permitted for the sale of surgical-standard facemasks to members of the public is to be set at 96 cents in order to prevent “abusive” prices being charged during the continuing coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
The government has been making efforts to ensure that pharmacies and other shops which are open have an adequate supply of facemasks, which have become one of the most sought-after products in Spain over the last two months, but they are still relatively hard to find and stories abound of people being charged exorbitant prices. In addition, on some occasions the masks being sold have been found not to be approved by EU quality control certification, and it is in order to curtail such unscrupulous activity that the government has taken steps to impose price limits.
The price of 0.96 euros is inclusive of VAT and has been decided on to make masks easily affordable while allowing manufacturers and distributors to operate in commercially viable conditions. In the near future further legislation is expected to regulate the prices of other specifications of facemasks, including those of FFP2 and FFP3 standard.
However, the Minister let it be understood that no maximum price will be set, as had originally been intended, for protective gloves and disinfectant gels.
It is worth remembering that the government recommends the use of disposable or re-usable facemasks on public transport and in other situations where it is hard to enforce social distancing, although on Tuesday Sr Illa reiterated the view that they ought not to be necessary if a distance of 2 metres is maintained between people and frequent hand-washing and personal hygiene are maintained.
Remember: LOCKDOWN MEANS LOCKDOWN. STAY AT HOME. STAY SAFE AND DO YOUR BIT TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.
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Sensible precautions
The advice being issued to members of the public by medical authorities all over the world coincides on the following points:
- Wash hands frequently with either soap and water or a sanitiser gel
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