Singapore haze: Be careful when buying masks or air purifiers on secondary market, CASE warns新加坡雾霾：新加坡消费者权益保护署（CASE）警告，在二手市场购买口罩或空气净化器时需谨慎
The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) has warned consumers to exercise caution when buying N95 masks and air purifiers from secondary market amid the worsening haze situation.CASE president Melvin Yong said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Oct 17): "Consumers buying these items online should only buy from e-commerce platforms, such as Shopee and Lazada, who have worked with CASE...
The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) has warned consumers to exercise caution when buying N95 masks and air purifiers from secondary market amid the worsening haze situation.
CASE president Melvin Yong said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Oct 17): "Consumers buying these items online should only buy from e-commerce platforms, such as Shopee and Lazada, who have worked with CASE to implement merchant verification measures.
"Avoid deals that are too good to be true on the internet, as these could be scams."
He also encouraged consumers to use Price Kaki — a mobile app developed by CASE to compare product prices — to monitor prices of haze-related items before making purchases.
Noting the temporary shortage of items such as N95 masks, air purifiers and filters due to a surge in demand, Yong said that CASE is working closely with major retailers.
CASE understands that there are sufficient stocks of N95 masks, and retailers are actively replenishing supplies to meet consumer demand.
"As stocks resume, consumers are advised not to overbuy masks in large quantities," he said.
On Wednesday, the Government announced that N95 masks will be distributed to support Singaporeans who may be more vulnerable to the effects of the haze.
Eligible Singaporeans include those from the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation; holders of the Community Health Assistance Scheme (CHAS) Blue and Orange cards and Medical Fee Exemption Cards (MFEC); and recipients of ComCare Assistance.
Pregnant women, children aged between seven and 16, and those with medical conditions such as asthma may also collect their masks.
They can each collect a pair of N95 at community clubs or designated vending machines at selected public transport hubs, Social Service Offices and People's Association venues
On Friday, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said that the haze is expected to persist for some time and urged Singaporeans to be prepared.
The situation could improve by end-October or early-November as winds become lighter and more variable during the inter-monsoon period
The Government will carry out another round of mask distribution if the need arises, she added.
yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com
新加坡消费者协会（CASE）警告消费者，在雾霾情况日益恶化的情况下，从二手市场购买N95口罩和空气净化器时要谨慎。
CASE主席Melvin Yong周六（10月17日）在Facebook上发帖称：“消费者在网上购买这些商品时，应该只从Shopee和Lazada等与CASE合作实施商家验证措施的电商平台购买。”
“避免在网上购买那些好得令人难以置信的商品，因为这些很可能是骗局。”
他还鼓励消费者使用 Price Kaki（一款由 CASE 开发的用于比较产品价格的移动应用程序）来监控与雾霾相关的商品的价格，然后再进行购买。
Yong指出，由于需求激增，N95口罩、空气净化器和过滤器等物品暂时短缺，CASE正在与各大零售商密切合作。
CASE了解到，N95口罩库存充足，零售商正在积极补充供应以满足消费者需求。
“随着库存恢复，建议消费者不要大量抢购口罩，”他说。
周三，政府宣布将分发N95口罩，以帮助那些可能更容易受到雾霾影响的新加坡人。
符合资格的新加坡人包括建国一代和独立一代；持有社区健康援助计划（CHAS）蓝卡和橙卡以及医疗费用豁免卡（MFEC）的人；以及获得社区关怀援助的人。
孕妇、7至16岁的儿童以及患有哮喘等疾病的人也可以领取口罩。
他们每人可以在社区俱乐部或指定公共交通枢纽、社会服务机构和人民协会场所的指定自动售货机领取一副N95口罩。
周五，永续发展及环境部长傅海燕表示，预计雾霾将持续一段时间，并敦促新加坡人做好准备。
到10月底或11月初，随着季风间歇期风力减弱且变化无常，情况可能会有所改善。
她补充说，如有必要，政府将进行新一轮口罩发放。
yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com