Choking sensation: Delhi masks up again, air purifiers back in demand

As the national capital grapples with bad air, N95 masks make a comeback after a brief break due to a dip in the Covid onslaught. With the air quality index crossing 400, the demand for air purifiers are also on the rise.

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New Delhi: 

"Since Diwali, the sale of N95 masks has gone up. Over the years, especially because of the pandemic, the cost of the masks has come down.

Earlier, a good N95 mask used to cost Rs 250-300, now it's around Rs 150," said Rahul Aggarwal, a medical store owner at Yusuf Sarai.

"The sale of N95 masks, however, is restricted to the pollution season. During Covid-19, people started using them for protection from the virus, but many eventually shifted to either surgical ones or those made of cloth. Basic N95 masks are now available at Rs 70 and have double or triple layers.

However, the manufacturing of valve-based masks has stopped," said Vijay Kumar of another medical store.