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Face mask shortage: Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong seek help from home
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A discarded face mask sits on a street in Wuhan on Jan. 26, a city at the epicenter of a viral outbreak that has killed at least 56 people and infected nearly 2,000. China on Jan. 26 expanded drastic travel restrictions to contain the viral contagion, as the United States and France prepared to evacuate their citizens from the quarantined city at the outbreak's epicenter. (AFP/Hector Retamal)
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s face masks in Hong Kong become more expensive and harder to find, Indonesian migrant workers are turning to families and friends at home to send them face masks that have become a necessity to help protect against coronavirus.
A migrant worker from East Java's Blitar, Anis SD, took to a Blitar-community Facebook group to complain about how she was struggling to find face masks and instant food that are fast running out in stores in Hong Kong. She also uploaded a picture of messy shelves at a convenience store in Hong Kong.
"Face masks and instant food, such as noodles, have been scarce in recent days," Anis told The Jakarta Post.
She said that China-made face masks were still available at some stores but they were offered at six times the normal price despite their low quality. Following advice from fellow migrant workers, she decided to ask her family in Blitar to send face masks from home.
"I hope they arrive this week," she said, adding that thousands of fellow workers were facing a similar situation.
Anis said these workers in Hong Kong continued to communicate through WhatsApp and Facebook groups to share useful information about the outbreak.
Tens of thousands of Indonesian migrant laborers -- mostly domestic workers -- are currently working in countries and territories with confirmed coronavirus infections, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia.
