In order to curb panic buying and the hoarding of face masks in Taiwan, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced a name-based rationing system for face masks, which will be launched on Feb. 6. Pharmacies and drugstores are doing everything to prepare for the new system.


We can only get two masks per week. (Yes.) But if we use one mask a day, then we need seven masks per week.

One more day until the name-based rationing system for purchases of masks will be in effect. People have been going to the National Health Insurance Administration contracted pharmacies and drugstores to inquire about purchasing. Some small pharmacies have made number cards and set up a temporary counter at the front door. All the staffs will be on standby on the first day.

We will get the NHI cards slowly and swipe the cards on that machine. Afterwards, we will issue the number card one-by-one.

Each drugstore or pharmacy will give out 200 adult face masks and 50 face masks for children. Since each person is allowed to buy two masks per IC card, at the most, one store will serve up to 125 people. Meanwhile, some of the contracted drugstores have not been listed while others worry there's a possibility of system malfunction.

Because this is such an urgent matter, some of the names did not show up on the list. We are confused as to why we were not included.

If some NHI cards are damaged or the chips on the cards are contaminated or oxidized, then we won't be able to swipe the card successfully. Therefore the person in question would have difficulty in purchasing the masks.

Drugstores and pharmacies have their own worries and they have continued to report their concerns back to the Pharmacist Association. The Taiwan Pharmacist Association has provided printable number cards available for drugstores to download. It is also working continuously with the Ministry of Health and Welfare on coping with potential problems.

As of now, we still can't run the process smoothly. For example, we still can't log in the Health Insurance Department sales systems. The second reason being that we haven't received the masks.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said a new system will go online on Feb. 6 for people to check the number of masks available at each pharmacy. The Pharmacist Association hopes all things will run smoothly as the new system is launched in such a short period of time. It is calling on the public not to rush to drugstores for masks on the first day to prevent a long lines and any other emergencies.



「只能領兩個，一個禮拜哦？(對) 一天一個就(用)7個了。」

口罩實名販售還要一天才上路，但一早持續有民眾到健保特約藥局詢問，有的小藥局自行做好號碼牌，也在門口規劃臨時櫃臺，打算全家動員，應對第一天購買人潮。

李姓藥師表示：「健保卡，慢慢收，到那個刷卡機刷卡完以後，按照號碼片一個一個慢慢發。」

每人可買2片，成人加小孩1天250個口罩，最多要面對125位排隊民眾，藥局不希望出現混亂場面，不過有的健保特約藥局，從衛福部名單還查不到自家名字，有的也擔心第一天上路，過卡產生問題。

陳姓藥師表示：「因為時間太趕，所以有的都還沒有秀在上面，所以我們也是覺得滿疑惑的，怎麼會沒有在名單裡面。」

李姓藥師表示：「就是如果遇到一些卡片損毀，晶片已經被汙染，或氧化了，如果這樣沒辦法過卡的話，那這個個案，是否可以很正常地，完成這(販售)流程。」

藥局有各自的擔憂，持續把問題回報給藥師公會，全國藥師公會聯合會目前已經做出公版號碼牌，可供各藥局列印使用，也持續和衛福部討論各種可能的問題與因應作法。

高雄市藥師公會發言人 黃芬民表示：「目前還沒有真的很順利的完成，比如說健保署的(販售系統)網頁，我們可能還沒有辦法進去實際使用，第二個就是，口罩還沒有收到。」

衛福部表示，6日當天會有新系統，供民眾查詢各藥局口罩數量，但政策緊急上路，藥師公會望一切順利，但也呼籲民眾不一定要搶在第一天一早購買，以免有突發狀況，造成久候。