Rations rise to 9 adult masks or 10 children’s masks every two weeks

Surgical mask rations went up nationwide on Thursday. Each person is now entitled to nine adult-sized masks every two weeks, which is up from the three a week previously. As before, you can get your ration at designated pharmacies, or purchase online on the eMask platform. Starting this week, online orders can be collected not only at convenience stores but also two major supermarket chains. Even before the pharmacy opens, droves of people are lined up outside. At 9:00, the metal gates go up and the mask-buying frenzy begins.Member of the publicToday I came here at around 7:45. The new system begins today, so I thought I might as well come and line up a bit earlier.Updates to the mask rationing system came into effect on Thursday. The ration is now nine adult masks or 10 children’s masks every two weeks, up from three adult masks or five children’s masks every week. In addition, you can now buy masks anytime, instead of being restricted to set days. Across Taipei, lines were longer on Day 1 of the new system.Bluce HuangTaiwan Pharmacist AssociationI think there were more people because everyone was allowed to buy today, regardless of their ID number. Also, today all pharmacies were allotted a supply for 200 adults and 20 children. Some of the more popular pharmacies might have sold out after everyone in line got their masks.Buyers can also get nine masks at a time on the online ordering platform. Those masks are available for pickup at four major convenience store chains, as well as two supermarket chains: Simple Mart and PX Mart.Also on Thursday, masks became mandatory for market vendors in Taipei. Those caught violating the rule twice will be force to close.Market vendorI think it’s great. One person could put everyone in danger. That would be bad for us all. If one person doesn’t wear a mask, that’s bad for me. I’m running a business so I absolutely have to wear it. I wouldn’t want to be a public health hazard for Taiwan.Vendors must wear face masks during business hours, although the rule doesn’t apply to their customers. New Taipei launched the same rule for its vendors on Wednesday. Violators in New Taipei face fines of up to NT$60,000 in accordance with the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.