Face masks, where to buy?
 

I've been fortunate enough to be able to get a couple of hair appointments for us in the next 10 days, but we need to get masks (our hair guy rents 2 chairs in a shop and works alone, it's not one of the big chains or anything).

I need to find masks in Basel, but when I look on the Apotheke websites they are all showing as out of stock, I read earlier in the week that supermarkets were supposed to be going to stock them but haven't seen any when I've been picking up groceries. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

I saw a friend on facebook post a picture of loads in COOP at 14.90CHF

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

I have no direct answers, but I recommend you to be prepared to prices being ...unusual.

Two weeks ago the local Apotheke below my house displayed a sign "masks are back, we have them" on the door. One of my neighbours went to buy a few, she came back with only one, plastic-sealed, Made in China, and to our understanding not washable. It costed 10.- CHF.

Maybe it's inevitable given the situation, maybe it's not the case anymore, just be ready :)

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

The larger coop and Migros stores have them and you can get them online from coopathome in their top 100 product selection.

My store/ deindeal also have them if you want to go down the online ordering route.

They’re selling for around 1chf per piece just to give you an idea of price.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

Couple days ago they had them on offer in Aldi (10 pack for ~7 chf)

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

OH says he's going to take a bike ride to M-Parc tomorrow morning to see if he can get them in the big Migros there. My hair isn't until the 13th, but his is next Friday (I'm 59 on the 14th so it would be nice if I didn't have to rock the bag lady / vagrant look any more :D)

When push comes to shove, if I have to faff around with making something it's what I'll have to do :(

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

You can check to see if any of your local Coop stores are carrying masks, here:
https://www.coop.ch/de/unternehmen/masken.html

Pack of 20, limit one per customer. While supplies last, not reservable.

They are selling at costs - when I bought some the other day the price was CHF 19.40 for 20 masks. I am guessing, but only guessing, that they are using the wording 'zum Selbstkostenpreis' because their suppliers might be variable - but that's only my guess, based on nothing at all.

Alternatively, you can get them in the Coop 'Top 100' delivery option, 39.90 for a box of 50. Limit one per order. But you have to order CHF 100 in total. Delivery of the Top 100 selection was about 4-7 days last time I checked, but do check for current times.

For those in Ausserschwyz, Apotheke Lowen in Seedamm has masks, CHF 8 for a pack of 5, CHF 15 for a pack of 10.

Aldi is the best price I have found - as another poster mentioned CHF 7 for 10. But stock runs out fast.

For a visit to the hairdresser, a homemade mask would also work.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

The pharmacy (TopPharm, I think), next to lidl at Zoo Dorenbach had boxes full yesteday. No idea of the price.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

You probably need to go to the counter and ask for them, there are restrictions on the number of packs you can buy, so they are not just stacked on the shelf. At least that is how it is here at both the Coop and Migros.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

Thanks for all this info, we didn't realise you have to ask for them. I know the branch of Top Pharm, before the lockdown I took the bus to Lidl Binningen every couple of weeks.

I have a sewing machine so could run something up at a push, but I've found a lot of the online tutorials a pain as they use speeded up footage, also some say you have to use interfacing as a stiffener and I don't have any. I saved elastic from some felt pads I bought in IKEA to put between pans or crockery on the off chance I might need to get creative. I'm also a sucker for saving things like the metal closures that come on things like bread wrappers, saw one tutorial that said you can use them as a piece for the bridge of the nose :)

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

Are you sure that your hairdresser won't provide them? My hairdresser provided them for free, my son's barber also, and my husband bought one for CHF 2 at his barbers.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

He texted me this afternoon to ask if it was possible to supply our own. He's just a young guy working alone, he was with one of the chains in Basel and only became self employed last summer so I guess the past few weeks may have have been tough for him. He's Italian, been doing my hair for about 4 years now and I really like him as he has great flair and skills (maybe because he's from Milan :))

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

I bought a pack of masks from Lidl 2 days ago--- 50 masks for 34.90CHF

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

There used to be a good community of EFers, at least one of which would have pointed you in the right direction months ago. Unfortunately those EFers were driven out.

I have currently enough FFP2 HN95 masks, bought at a good price when still available, and when I first started talking about this months ago on EF, to last quite a while. As well as liters of disinfectant.

Was ridiculed by some EFers at that time.

Sometimes people should just listen, and prepare.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

If you need a good tutorial, send me a message tomorrow. They're very easy to make if you know how to use a sewing machine. Or send me your address and I can put one in the Post to you. My son's teacher asked me to make her some a few days ago and my machine is still sitting out.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

Washable masks were easy enough to get online last week at least. I ordered some last Friday and they were delivered on Tuesday.

I got my hair cut yesterday, and they had disposable masks available for people who did not have their own. No need for an appointment, the shop was empty... but every other shop in the Neustadt in Luzern seems to be a hairdresser. I was asked for my phone number and email address for tracking purposes, which seems reasonable in the circumstances.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

Will a big hankie not do?

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

No. That'd be like sifting flour through a colander.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

I make them with this official Belgian site www.maakjemondmasker.be
You can change the language option to english.
You have this site in English, French, Dutch, German.

Re: Face masks, where to buy?
 

I used that one too and a few of my Belgian friends are making them in large numbers to help out.