Price Of Masks Surge As People Get Ready To Enter Lockdown Week 6

The price of surgical masks have reportedly shot up after President Mnangagwa’s Friday announcement that all citizens in public places are supposed to wear masks in an effort to curb spreading COVID-19, New Zimbabwe reports.

Pharmaceuticals and shop owners who spoke to the publication about the sudden surge is mask prices said;

I imported my surgical masks from South Africa and there is no way I can sell them in local currency. The masks are made from very expensive material and that is why they are pricy

I have been forced to raise my price from 40 bond to 82 because of the sudden high demand. I have already run out of stock

However, some informal traders are reportedly selling homemade cheap masks for as little as ZWL$30 according to Memory Kabasa who spoke to the publication and said:

I make the masks using my sewing machine at home. I can make 20 to 40 masks a day but my challenge is that I do not have enough raw material because most of the Indian shops which sell the raw material are closed due to COVID-19

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