Coronavirus: Vending machines selling face masks and sanitisers appear in Poland’s two biggest cities

Industry association sets up machines to stop operators losing their jobs during lockdown

Vending machines selling face masks, gloves and sanitisers have appeared on the streets of Poland’s two biggest cities as the country stepped up its social distancing rules to slow the spread of coronavirus this week.

Two vending machines in the capital of Warsaw and five in Krakow have been installed so far, and there are plans to potentially install hundreds more in the next two weeks, according to the Polish Vending Association, which launched the initiative.

The masks in the vending machines cost 8.8 zlotys (£1.69) each.

All Polish people will be required to cover their mouth and nose in public spaces from 16 April, health minister Lukasz Szumowski said on Thursday as the government extended its lockdown measures.

The Polish government has said businesses will remain shut until 19 April and restrictions on schools, as well as rail and air transport, will be extended for another two weeks.

Aleksander Wasik, head of the Polish Vending Association, said he wanted to ensure the employees he represents in the vending machine industry could keep their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“What happened just now is a massive blow to everyone. Many [vending machine] operators became depressed because they were already seeing the possibility of bankruptcies,” he said.

His solution to the outbreak was to work on converting the machines to sell protective equipment — a move which has been applauded by local residents.

“I think if it lasts any longer, this whole state of the epidemic, it would come in handy, I see a lot of people coming, there’s interest,” said Pawel Kasprzycki, a 67-year-old man who bought a mask at one of the vending machines in Warsaw.

Additional reporting by Reuters