I will just queue on Sunday… too complicated for me to order online. Perhaps I’m oldy doesn’t know how to use the card reader.
My understanding is that if you paid by credit card it should acknowledge payment almost immediately, whereas if you paid by bank transfer it won’t be acknowledged on the site until the 22nd.
On a side note I’m sure the banks and credit card companies are getting well fed up with all the 22nt transactions!
For foreigners - only residents then - who can pick them up at designated pharmacies as they will no doubt have NHI cards.
For the current tourists and the rest of the visitors, tough luck.
Face masks available at duty free shops in Taiwan’s airports on March 21; three adult face masks cost NT$50
PublishTime：2020-03-20
The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that duty free stores at five designated airports in Taiwan will begin to sell requisitioned face masks to inbound travelers on March 21. Inbound travelers can purchase face masks at duty free shops in certain airports upon their arrival by presenting their boarding passes, passports or proof of ticket purchase to the clerk. A unit of face masks costs NT$50, or US$2, and each person is allowed to buy only one unit (three adult face masks or five child-size face masks). The purchase record of Taiwanese nationals or Resident Certificate holders will be consolidated as part of the calculation of the purchase quota under the name-based system for face masks. The duty free shops at designated airports are contracted by the government to sell requisitioned materials; thus, the charge of face masks will be rendered to the national treasury.
Online sites in TW (eg. 蝦皮， Shopee?) are selling masks. It’s hit-or-miss. Some 3M N95 masks were being sold at 100 NTD. Other cases of price gouging were obvious. I bought 3M 8246 masks (not medical use, but should be effective) for 109NTD a piece through 蝦皮 (shipped to my home, paid by credit card, limits human contact).
Legally, they can only sell NON surgical masks. So caveat emptor.
Same with N95s. They are not for medical use.
I was looking for surgical masks on EBay. The Russians are gone, as well as the Japanese. Ironically, UK sellers are there, followed by HK, India and Bangladesh.
Locals are pushing the government in Taiwan to allot them masks to send to their kids studying abroad, families, etc.
On that thought, does anyone know how to look for local pharmacies that sell official masks on Sunday?
the mask map says when each pharmacy is open.
Yeah, opening hours are easy actually, but the important data is what schedule they have to sell masks. That’s tricky. Gotta open each one and look for that info.
I like how they first closed the boarders then offer masks for tourists
Not available to tourists.
Sorry I where told Taiwanese and does with NHI cards will pay 15NTD at the airport and other people 50NTD… Probably got this worng.
You need to wear a mask!
But I don’t have one. Where can I get them?
You have to queue around the block for three hours.
I did, but there weren’t any masks left.
Fuck you. You need to wear a mask!
I need to get into this hospital. My cock is falling off.
You can’t come in. You don’t have a mask.
Fair enough. So give me one.
Fuck you. We don’t have any.
So what must I do?
Stand outside and watch your cock fall off.
Wait, hang on. I have this one in my backpack that I’ve been wearing for three weeks. It’s filthy, and infested with all of the viruses and bacteria known to man!
That’s fine, sir. Which department are you looking for? Cock falling-off is right down the hall.
Guy
Lining up for masks is ridiculous. Why can’t they have a registry and people make a payment for the entire month or so, and the masks get mailed out by Taiwan Post.
No screwing around in a lineup at a pharmacy getting the virus from everyone in close contact in the line, that all have a false sense of security that the mask is protecting them from the coughing amah or agong next to them.
Or running to a nearby 711 increasing the risk to the poor xiaojie behind the counter.
You guys are going to the wrong pharmacies.
I got my masks yesterday surrounded by polite quiet disciplined people, all wearing masks. I paid my NT$15 to the polite pharmacist and walked away impressed that this process actually works.
Guy
So instead of being smug, why don’t you you inform us ignoramuses of the location of the correct pharmacies?
Guy
I am not smug—I look around. Near my workplace, there are heaps of old folks who queue up for hours, so I stay away from the pharmacies nearby.
Here’s my advice. Find a pharmacy near lots of office buildings, few old people—and go on the weekend. I’m lucky that my number lets me get masks on Saturdays, but I’ve also had success on Sundays when I was competing with wider pool of punters.
Good luck!
Guy
I was exaggeraing a bit. But my point stands. Why are people forced to queue with others that could potentially have the same thing. Even if the place is empty it could have viral load in the air.
Social distancing is not at work here. Having it delivered by post and preorder would be convenient and safer
I agree. It’s fuckin’ stupid.
I’m not unhappy with the quota. Just give every resident a time and place that they can pick theirs up, so that you don’t have to stand in an infectious horde in the vain hope that you may strike it lucky.
Guy
The second round?
口罩2.0流程不變，3月25日起第二輪預購
https://www.cdc.gov.tw/Bulletin/Detail/gl4uS2kVK3RMgHPviZYYrg?typeid=9
Shopee (蝦皮) sells masks. Even the very hard to. come by N/R/P95 can be found. I ordered ten R95 (same standard as N95, but it also filters oils). Cost 109NT each. Triple the pre-COVID price, but that’s the reality of supply/demand. I bought ten with shipping to my home and paid by credit card. Arrived within four days, as advertised, individually wrapped. At least they are still available in Taiwan. Feel sorry for my sister who is still waiting for her order (lives in rural Canada). She ordered them early in February after I warned her she should prep.
