UAE: Mask sales drop by over 90% as all Covid rules are eased

UAE: Mask sales drop by over 90% as all Covid rules are eased

Starting November 7, masks are only mandatory in health facilities and centres for people of determination

Published: Tue 8 Nov 2022, 6:00 AM

Sharjah resident Thamjith Mohammed Siddique used to spend around Dh100 a month on masks for his family during peak Covid-19. It came down to about Dh10 every two months, as one box would suffice for the five-member family after mask wearing rules were eased in September this year.

Now that the UAE has eased all Covid safety rules, he plans to keep just one box of masks at home for “emergencies.” Starting November 7, masks are only mandatory in health facilities and centres for people of determination.

Retailers confirmed to Khaleej Times that mask sales have dropped drastically as the country restored full normalcy across all sectors. Some retailers said sales have decreased by over 90 per cent as compared to peak Covid period.

Mahamood Talal from Talal Supermarkets said: “During peak Covid-19, we used to sell up to 70 boxes of masks daily. This came to about 40 a day after a few months. We barely sell three to five boxes a day now.”

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Sales of adults’ masks are almost nil. “We mostly sold children’s masks (since September) as they were