No, You Don’t Need A Mask To Go Grocery Shopping
Yes, we understand, COVID-19 is scary. But Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has reiterated that face masks are not neccessary if you are stepping out for a short while to run essential errands.
This follows the guidelines produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), as they also encourage the use of face masks only if you are showing symptoms.
Please do not use the mask unless you have to. The mask and PPE (personal protective equipment) should be reserved for the frontline workers.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abduallah to Malaysiakini
Malaysia is facing a huge shortage of face masks. Our frontline healthcare workers have resorted to cutting up plastic garbage bags to use as personal protection equipment.
Therefore, unless you are showing symptoms of runny nose of cough, you do not need to wear a face mask when stepping outside.
Some netizens have reported that they were denied entry into grocery stores due to the lack of face mask. This should not happen because the official stance of the Ministry of Health is that the priority of face masks must go to frontline workers, not the general public.
DBKL and shopping mall management bodies must adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Health to ensure reasonable and adequate supply of face masks for those who may not have any.
With a lack of available face masks to buy and denied entry to run essential errands, it can lead to desperate measures such as reusing face masks, using cloth masks, or buying fake masks from scammers.
The official guidelines for the Movement Control Order right now is to practice social distancing by staying at home and washing your hands frequently.
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