Friday, August 12 @ 15:44:39 MYT
by Hazlin Hassan
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 - Thousands of face masks were handed out in the capital Friday, while pharmacies reported panic-buying of the essential item as Malaysians attempted to protect themselves from the choking haze.
Many pharmacies in the haze-hit Klang Valley, which encompasses Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas, said masks were flying off the shelves, and anxious citizens were demanding sturdier models with carbon filters.
"We did stock up on hundreds of masks shortly before the haze worsened this week but there was a lot of paranoia-buying three days ago, so that didn't help," said one pharmacist in Kuala Lumpur's Ampang diplomatic district.
"People were buying by the dozen and they were pretty aggressive about it, so my staff couldn't say no," she said, adding she had put in an urgent order for new stocks.
"This time we are restricting masks to two per person, unless they are asthmatics or suffer from respiratory problems."
The pharmacist said they were also stocking up on bottled water as customers were becoming worried about a possible water shortage if the dry weather continued.
Authorities have already warned that they could start to implement rationing as the water levels in key dams supplying areas in the Klang Valley dipped to "alert" levels due to the lack of rain in recent weeks.
The air pollution index (API) reached 365 in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, up from 321 on Thursday, shrouding the city in a white mist reeking of wood smoke. An API above 300 is considered hazardous and 500 triggers a state of emergency.
At the Petronas Twin Towers, the world's second-tallest building and a popular tourist destination, masks were also sold out at the sprawling shopping centre attached to the landmark.
"There's a huge demand. Everybody was buying masks yesterday," said pharmacist Premlatha Balakrishnan. However, she said sales dipped Friday as people avoided the city.
"I think many people are just staying at home and calling in sick today to avoid the haze. Staying indoors is the best option," she said, adding that she had recently gone to the hospital herself for haze-related health problems.
A few shoppers, particularly children, were seen wearing masks indoors at the Petronas Twin Towers shopping centre. Many more pedestrians and motorcyclists were also sporting masks on Friday as they went about their daily business.
As demand soared, masks were being made available at petrol stations and supermarkets, and were handed out in their thousands by medical charities and in promotions staged by radio stations.
A local healthcare company teamed up with a courier company to distribute more than 20,000 free face masks to their workers and members of the public at various locations in the Klang Valley Friday.
Traffic policemen, firemen, postmen and students in haze-polluted Shah Alam, which recorded some of the highest air pollution index (API) levels Friday, were also given vital supplies.
The government of Selangor state, which has been badly hit by the haze, has also ordered face masks from suppliers, to be distributed to the public.
"We will distribute them to the general public depending on how much they can supply us," Ch'ng Toh Eng, chair of the state's haze committee, told AFP.
- AFP
To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of Hidayahnet unless sanctioned or approved otherwise.
If your mailbox clogged with mails from Hidayahnet, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest".
| Divine inspiration | Islam |
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
- Visit your group "hidayahnet" on the web.
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
