SINGAPORE - All 1.3 million households in Singapore will be given four surgical masks, the Government announced on Thursday (Jan 30) even as it reiterated that only people who are unwell should be wearing them.
About 5.2 million masks will be given out and will be made available progressively from Saturday (Feb 1), at the 89 community centres (CC) and 654 residents' committee (RC) centres.
They should all be handed out by Feb 9.
The masks are free and can be collected only once for each household. Those collecting have to bring along their identity card.
Those living in HDB flats can collect them from CCs and RCs from Feb 1 to Feb 5 .
Thereafter, those living in private housing estates can collect them from CCs. Those who did not collect them earlier can also get them at their RCs.
The masks will be delivered to those who are vulnerable and can't collect them.
About 5.2 million masks for over 1.3 million households will be given out this way, but over the past nine days, the government has already released five million masks to retailers, it said.
While it stressed that there are enough masks here for those who need it, the authorities are sourcing for new mask suppliers, amid a global shortage, and ramping up new supplies from traditional suppliers.
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), which has working round-the-clock to pack the masks, will work with the People's Association to distribute the masks.
The SAF did a similar exercise during the haze crisis in 2013. Back then, over one million masks were given out through grassroots channels.
There are currently 10 confirmed cases in Singapore, all tourists from Hubei province.
Health experts here have said that there is no community spread of the Wuhan virus here, so there is no need for people who are well to wear masks.
Therefore, four masks per family should be enough, since it's unlikely for the everyone to be sick.