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Massive spike in demand for masks leads to sale restrictions
By Hanna Mills Turbet
The state government's new directive for people to wear masks where possible when out in public has prompted a massive spike in demand for both cloth and surgical masks.
Chemists, hardware stores and major supermarkets were inundated with Melburnians searching for supplies on Saturday.
Melburnians heeded the Premier's call to wear masks while shopping at Queen Vic Market on Saturday.Credit: Getty
Bunnings placed temporary restrictions on masks, limiting customers to 10 packs each. Director of merchandise Phil Bishop said store teams were working to keep shelves well stocked.
Elsewhere, customers were snapping up packs of masks ranging from packs of 10 single-use face masks at Chemist Warehouse for $12.99 to 50-packs of similar masks at Woolworths for $40.
Mitre10 was selling packs of five N95 masks or 10 disposable masks, costing $25 and $15 respectively.
A day after urging millions of Victorians to don masks, Premier Daniel Andrews said it was "almost certain" they would be part of the state government's long-term coronavirus response.
Premier Daniel Andrews said masks were likely to be a key tool in reopening the state.Credit: Getty Images
"This is going to be a feature of our response for a very long time, particularly when we get to the other side of this shutdown," Mr Andrews said on Saturday.
"Part of opening up, I think it's almost certain that the wearing of masks, where you can't distance, will be an important feature of our next pandemic response."
Independent designers and online retailers were also flooded with mask orders via Facebook and Instagram pages and Etsy stores.
Carlton jeweller Clara Carija started making free cloth masks for front-line workers at the start of the pandemic after her parents-in-law were caught up on one of the stricken cruise ships marooned off the coast of Uruguay.
Clara Carija started making free masks for health workers. She now charges $15 for public sales and business is booming. Credit: Penny Stephens
Ms Carija said she had previously sold a handful of masks to friends in America and parts of Australia through Facebook and Instagram with her business Mask Maiden Melbourne. On Friday night, she received more than 100 orders.
"I am going to be sewing like mad. I have put on pause any jewellery making for now," she said.
Mr Andrews said he was grateful to Victorians for covering up.
"It's quite noticeable that many more people are wearing masks now," he said.
"It's not compulsory, but where you are out for a lawful purpose and you believe you may not be able to maintain that 1.5 metre distance from other people, then ... it's a low cost, high reward.
"No mask is foolproof, but every contribution helps."
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the state had 32 million masks stockpiled for health services.
Another 2 million Australian-made reusable masks will be ordered and distributed to "priority groups".
In a video released on Friday night, Victoria's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton suggested nimble-fingered Victorians could make their own three-layered mask, and demonstrated the correct way to wear it.
"A mask should fit securely around the face, specifically covering your nose and mouth areas," he said.
"The mask should fit snugly on your face and be secured by ties at the back of your head or by ear loops.
"Make sure that your mask does not have holes or a valve. This can result in breathing out the virus if you have coronavirus."
The Department of Health and Human Services also released their own guide to making a mask.