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Schwerin / Rostock (dpa / mv) - The demand for the FFP2 masks distributed free of charge by pharmacies for people over 60 and high-risk patients is great in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
At the start of the campaign on Tuesday, customers stood in line in front of the Aesculap pharmacy in Rostock, as owner Axel Pudimat reported.
He expected that his 5000 masks, which had arrived the day before, would be gone shortly.
"We have ordered a total of 20,000 masks from three suppliers, we are now waiting for the next delivery," he said.
Pudimat is also the chairman of the state pharmacists' association.
After Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) announced last week that FFP2 masks would be issued free of charge to people over 60 and chronically ill, according to Pudimat, pharmacies placed orders nationwide.
He estimates that due to the shortness of time and the large number of orders on Tuesday, only about half of the pharmacies in the northeast were able to dispense masks.
According to the pharmacists' association MV, there are 387 public pharmacies nationwide.
Chamber managing director Bernd Stahlhacke said that by Tuesday noon the chamber had received a call from a customer that the masks in a pharmacy were already out of stock.
Each authorized person should receive 15 FFP2 masks: There are three at the first attempt.
For another six masks, those affected should receive a voucher from their health insurance company, as well as for another six masks a little later.
FFP2 masks are considered effective in preventing corona infection, but they do not offer 100 percent protection.