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Govt mulls campaign to halt panic buying amid coronavirus outbreak

Sanitisers are a Rs 300-350-crore industry in India, and in the last one month, the demand has jumped 10-fold, claimed industry sources

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A medic conducts screening of a patient as part of a precautionary measure for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, at a government run hospital in New Delhi | PTI photo

Sohini Das Mumbai
Such is the scare of the new coronavirus that protective gear such as masks and sanitisers are briskly going out of stock from retail outlets. The Centre is contemplating launching a consumer awareness campaign, telling people not to panic while buying these items. Manufacturers, especially micro, small and medium enterprises are seeing a short-term opportunity in this and are lining up to make these products. 

Sample this: The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration has approved 100 product licences for hand sanitisers in the last one week alone. Speaking to Business Standard, HG Koshia, commissioner of Gujarat FDCA, said the government