Mask sales surge by 60% due to smog

With the smog ensuring Delhi's air quality is falling to alarming levels, pharmacies and retail mask dealers are doing roaring business in masks and air purifiers. In fact, pharmacies across various parts of the city, sales have gone up by sixty percent over the last few days alone.

After last year's pollution rise, some pharmacies confirmed that they had stocked up on masks way before Diwali, but due to the cracker ban, sales remained low. But they said sales have just picked up since Wednesday, so much so that some pharmacies are even selling their last year's stock.

"I sold over 180 masks on Wednesday, which is a big number considering mine is a small shop in a residential area," said Sanjay Kapoor, a chemist in West Delhi.

Though all kinds of masks are available, doctors suggest the N95 are the most effective in Delhi's pollution as they can stop the PM 2.5 as well. Costing anywhere between Rs 300 and 2,000, these masks are the highest in demand and many pharmacists say that they are running out of stock.

Surgical masks too are available for anywhere between Rs 20 and 300, but doctors they are not suitable in high pollution areas.

"In the last one year, sales of masks have gone up even on normal days, but int he last three days, I have sold masks worth Rs. 95,000 both in retail and wholesale. I believe masks worth several lakh have been sold in Delhi this week. Online sales have gone up too, as some of my customers bought masks online as well," says Suresh Verma, a mask wholesaler from Laxmi Nagar.

Meanwhile, over 2,000 free masks were distributed to security personnel at metro stations and Airport, but these free masks are surgical masks and not very effective in pollution control.

However, doctors cautioned that all masks would save Delhiites from pollution. "We all need to understand that N95 masks and air purifiers, whose sale has increased in the last few days due to pollution, may not provide full-time protection, and are not completely effective," said Dr Randeep Guleria, Medical Director and leading pulmonologist, AIIMS

WHICH MASKS TO OPT FOR

• Single layer masks made of cotton are not very effective in filtering out minute particles. The triple-layered masks may help a bit and cost between Rs 50 and 100. The best ones are N95, which control PPM 2.5 and the cost starts from Rs 100