Online sales of Corona 19 self-test kits will be banned for three weeks from tomorrow (13th), and the quantity that can be purchased at pharmacies and convenience stores is limited to 5 per one time.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it is implementing these measures to stabilize the market supply of COVID-19 self-test kits.
Online sales of self-test kits will be banned from tomorrow as scheduled. Inventory can be sold online until the 16th, and only offline sales such as pharmacies and convenience stores are allowed from the 17th.
Some convenience stores are expected to take about a week to prepare for sale, so 8.14 million servings will be supplied to pharmacies for three days from today.
In order to increase domestic supply, manufacturers of self-test kits have to manufacture only 20 or more large-capacity packaging products for the time being.
Large-capacity packaged products are sold individually at pharmacies and convenience stores, but the quantity is limited so that each person can purchase up to 5 at a time so that people who need testing can obtain self-test kits more smoothly.
We have decided not to limit the purchase of duplicates as the situation now requires stabilization of distribution of self-test kits rather than an absolute shortage of masks, such as when masks are scarce.
In addition, domestic self-test kit manufacturers must obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for future exports.
(Photo = Yonhap News)