page_title: Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic
section_title: Early epidemic in mainland China
hierarchical_section_title: Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic / Shortages of face masks / Early epidemic in mainland China
caption_attribution_description: English: Single-use medical masks produced by BYD Electronic. These medical masks conform to the Chinese standard YY/T 0969–2013.中文: 一包比亚迪制造的口罩
context_page_description: During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks have been employed as a public and personal health control measure against the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Their use is intended as personal protection to prevent infection and as source control to limit transmission of the virus in a community or healthcare setting. The use of masks has received varying recommendations from different public health agencies and governments. The World Health Organization and other public health organisations agree that masks can limit the spread of respiratory viral diseases such as COVID-19. However, the topic has been a subject of debate, with some public health agencies and governments initially disagreeing on a protocol for wearing face masks.
  As of early May 2020, 88% of the world's population lives in countries that recommend or mandate the use of masks in public; more than 75 countries have mandated the use of masks. Debates have emerged regarding whether masks should be worn even when social distancing at 2 meters, and whether they should be worn during exercise. Additionally, public health agencies of some countries and territories have changed their recommendations regarding face masks over time.
context_section_description: As the epidemic accelerated, the mainland market in China saw a shortage of face masks due to increased public demand. In Shanghai, customers had to queue for nearly an hour to buy a pack of face masks; stocks were sold out in another in half an hour. Hoarding and price gouging drove up prices, so the market regulator said it would crack down on such acts. In January 2020, price controls were imposed on all face masks on Taobao and Tmall. Other Chinese e-commerce platforms – JD.com, Suning.com, Pinduoduo – did likewise; third-party vendors would be subject to price caps, with violators subject to sanctions.
  By March, China had quadrupled its production capacity to 100 million masks per day.
caption: Chinese electronics manufacturers, such as BYD Electronic, began to produce surgical masks after the outbreak.
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