MINGORA: The civil society members here on Wednesday distributed more than 500 masks and hand sanitisers among people to help protect them from coronavirus.

“It seems that our people do not take coronavirus seriously and roam in the markets and bazaars in groups freely. They also do not take precautionary measures to protect themselves,” said Akhtar Ali, a resident of Mingora and a group leader of Swat Scouts Open Group, who was distributing masks in Mingora bazaar.

He said that it was high time to not only raise awareness among people about Covid-19 but also motivate them to wear masks and clean their hands regularly.

The scouts distributed more than 500 masks among people in Mingora and said that the group would distribute more masks in the coming days.

Amjad Ali, a shopkeeper and social activist, who was distributing masks among policemen, said that he had a huge stock of masks that he had bought before the outbreak but he decided to distribute them free of cost when he noticed that prices of masks were increased.

The social activists urged people to take safety measures against coronavirus.

The social activists urged people to strictly follow the preventive measures suggested by health experts against spread of coronavirus.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2020