New price for face masks from Aug 10, says minister

The heath ministry says people should continue to avoid close contact and prevent a second wave of coronavirus infections.

KUALA KANGSAR: A new price for face masks will be announced by the government soon, and is likely to take effect from Aug 10, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said today.

He said the current ceiling price for face masks remains at RM1.50 a piece.

Adham spoke about the new price announcement when asked whether the government was taking steps to alleviate the burden of parents who need to provide face masks for their school-going children.

He said the use of face masks is not compulsory in schools.

To prevent a second wave of Covid-19 outbreak, the priority is to maintain social distancing, he said, and the ministry is actively implementing a campaign to remind the public to avoid close contact with others.

Health minister Adham Baba

He said it was necessary to educate the public to avoid talking to each other while in close contact because small water droplets released into the air could land on others as far as one metre away.

“Currently the second wave of Covid-19 transmission happening around the world is primarily due to close contact,” he told a press conference at the handing over a new health clinic here today.

Other reasons for the second wave were the refusal of people to undergo screening despite having been in close contact with Covid-19 patients; and ignorance about the need to self-quarantine among those returning from abroad.

He said a new public information campaign would be launched by the prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, in Pagoh, Johor, on Aug 8, to educate the public to be more responsible in protecting themselves, their family and local community from Covid-19 transmission.

He said the campaign is aimed at ensuring the green districts remain free of the pandemic and to convert the yellow districts to green ones within 14 days. - FMT