As the COVID-19 crisis was escalating quickly in Wuhan, China, earlier this year, the demand for personal protective equipment of all kinds unexpectedly skyrocketed among citizens, doctors, and frontline health workers.  China struggled to provide masks for all citizens in different regions during the outbreak. This prompted the country to seek the help of Chinese businessmen abroad to provide the required masks and other personal protective equipment, although China is considered the number one supplier and exporter of masks.

Since then, governments have opted to increase their domestic production and stock of surgical and other types of masks to meet the emerging demand for protective equipment. Recently, many governments cooperated with the private sector to find innovative ways to provide masks at a reasonable cost. In Singapore, tech firm Razer obtained the government’s approval to provide free surgical masks for all citizens through a network of vending machines across the island. The company set up twenty vending machines in several areas, including malls. They are expected to dispense 5 million masks. Residents can register on the Razer Pay app to verify their identity and scan the QR code at vending machines to collect their masks. At full capacity, the production line can produce up to 5 million masks per month. Plans are in the works to increase the production capacity to 10 million masks per month within a short period of time.  Meanwhile, municipalities in southern Poland have launched a similar initiative to set up several vending machines that provide local residents with masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers. These machines are equipped with a chip to monitor their stock. Products are sold at a reasonable price, while local authorities bear the cost of the electricity needed to operate these vending machines, as well as the required sterilization measures.  {j}

وعلى الصعيد نفسه، أطلقت بلديات جنوب بولندا مبادرة مشابهة لتوزيع عدة آلات للبيع الذاتي تزود السكان المحليين بالكمامات والقفازات ومعقمات الأيدي، كما زُودت هذه الآلات بشريحة لمراقبة مخزونها. وتُباع المنتجات بأسعار معقولة، بينما تتحمل السلطات المحلية تكلفة الكهرباء اللازمة لتشغيل هذه الآلات وإجراءات التعقيم المطلوبة.

With time, more governments are expected to develop new methods to provide personal protective equipment for free or at reasonable prices for those who can afford them. Such initiatives have proven efficient in protecting communities worldwide.

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