Masks and Hand Sanitizers under Essential Commodities Act
Amity Law School, New Delhi, India.
Volume II – Issue II, 2020
On 10th of January, 2020 The World Health Organization released an advisory titled “Infection prevention and control during health care when novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection is suspected” the document recommended the use of Masks (N95) and advised to maintain hand hygiene, these preliminary steps are followed till date, but on 10th of January, 2020 the coronavirus was not seen as a global threat by majority of the nations, not even by the WHO itself. 20 days later on 30th of January, 2020 The WHO Director General issued a statement saying “I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of novel coronavirus.” After this it was very clear that there is a serious disease spreading and it can infect any person around the world, the only ways to prevent an infection is to wear a mask, follow hand hygiene and maintain a proper social distance in public. In order to resolve the situation and manage the supplies of masks and hand sanitizers, the Indian Government released a series of orders under the Essential Commodities Act in the month of March onwards, declaring masks and sanitizers as necessary commodities and fixed prices of the same.