By Honorary Reporter Dayviana Díaz from Cuba

Photo= Korea.net DB

(Kim Sunjoo)

The Korean government on July 12 announced the end of its mask rationing program after flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic, with people now free to buy as many protective masks as desired.

In early March, demand for and the prices of masks skyrocketed amid the outbreak in the country, so the program was introduced to help everyone get masks. Under the program, each person could buy two masks per week at pharmacies; the limit was raised to three and later to ten.

Because Korea flattened the curve and stabilized mask supply thanks to boosted production (more than 100 million since June, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety), the need for limits on mask sales dramatically decreased, leading to the eventual end of the program.

The government also prepared for unexpected surges in demand by maintaining limits on the export of surgical and thinner anti-saliva masks to half of combined monthly output, though it will raise the permissible volume of outbound shipments.

People in the country can send 90 masks to family living abroad per person every three months, up from 36.

By stabilizing the supply and demand of masks, Korea's health care system is clearly more than capable of supporting the well-being of Koreans everywhere.

chaey0726@korea.kr


*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.