French authorities will requisition all face mask stocks and production in the coming months, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday, reserving them for use by those infected with the coronavirus and those working in the healthcare industry, reports FRANCE 24.
"We will distribute them to health professionals and to French people infected with the coronavirus," Macron said on Twitter.
Fears of catching the virus have sparked a run on masks as well as sanitising hand gel in France, leading some stores and online retailers to hike prices.
Finance minister Bruno Le Maire said earlier Tuesday that he had ordered France's consumer and anti-fraud watchdog to open an investigation after reports that prices had doubled or even tripled.
"I'm ready to regulate prices of masks and gels by decree if the abuses are numerous," he said on Twitter.
President Emmanuel Macron has called off several events this week as France scrambles to contain the outbreak.