KOTA KINABALU – Covid-19 test kits have seen replenished stocks around the city centre here, but pharmacies believe this may not last long.
A pharmacy operator in Gaya Street told The Vibes that despite a new stock of test kits arriving yesterday, only limited supplies were made available to them from the distributor.
“We are not sure how this supply would be enough to last. All of them could be sold by tomorrow.
“And after that, we are not sure when fresh supply will be available next,” the pharmacist said.
A sudden spike in infections in Sabah appeared to have triggered bulk purchases by consumers recently, as infections have hit over 4,000 cases a day.
Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun warned that the spike could have been due to the highly infectious Omicron variant, which is already spreading within the community.
The shortage of test kits became an issue around the city on February 6, which Masidi alleged could have been triggered by pharmacies keeping a small stock in their stores.
Sabah Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya has advised the public to refrain from bulk purchases of the much-needed test kits.
A quick survey of the fresh supply of test kits found that many of the resellers and pharmacies have also raised prices but still below the capped price of RM19.90.
A buyer, Nikkie Luke, when met, said test kits used to cost only around RM9.90 a box, but some stores are now selling it between RM13.90 and RM15.90 a box.
“Some also sold them along with hand sanitizers for added value, which to me, was not necessary,” said a consumer goods distributor.
A spokesman from the Sabah Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry office told The Vibes that the price was still within the recommended cap and, therefore, was permissible.
Meanwhile, The Vibes found that test kits are also being sold via online platforms like Facebook Marketplace.
Although the prices are still below the price cap, The Vibes has learnt that consumers are buying the items in bulk and reselling it via social media at a marked-up price.
A consumer, Michael Johnny said some test kits are being sold for around RM9.90 at a local mart but added that some buyers bought them in bulk.
“I discovered later that the same brand of test kits sold at the market were being sold up to RM15 each online,” he said. – The Vibes, February 16, 2022
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