A reporter from " Lianhe Zaobao " visited Chinatown at noon on Friday and found that there were long queues at express delivery sites where medicines can be mailed, and most of the queues were young people in their twenties and thirties.
Many Chinese people studying or working in Singapore are worried that their relatives back home will not be able to buy medicines, so they have sent medicines back to China by mail. (Photo by An Shiyi)
The surge in the number of people infected with the epidemic in China has led to a shortage of medicines in some areas. Many Chinese studying or working in Singapore are worried that their relatives at home will not be able to buy medicines, so they have recently purchased medicines and sent them back to China.
A reporter from "Lianhe Zaobao" visited Chinatown at noon on Friday (December 16) and found that there were long queues at express delivery stations where medicines can be mailed. Most of the queues were young people in their 20s and 30s.
It is understood that a maximum of eight boxes of over-the-counter medicines can be sent in each package of direct air mail. The express operators interviewed said that rapid antigen detection reagents and prescription drugs cannot be sent by mail. After the express package is shipped, the estimated delivery time ranges from two weeks to four weeks, depending on factors such as local epidemic lockdowns or customs inspections.
Most of the mail packages are medicines to relieve cough and cold symptoms
Customers waiting in line are preparing to mail more than 10 boxes of medicines. Many people do their homework first and understand which medicines can be sent before purchasing. Most of the packages they mailed contained Panadol Cough & Cold to relieve cough and cold symptoms, Lianhua Qingwen capsules , cough drops, and vitamin C effervescent tablets.
Some medicines mailed by Chinese people from Singapore include Benadol, Lianhua Qingwen capsules, cough drops, and effervescent vitamin C tablets. (Shin Min Daily News)
After comparing the efficiency and transportation requirements of multiple express delivery companies, Zhang Rongrong (32 years old, student) mailed 18 boxes of Benadol and two bottles of cough drops to her parents in Beijing through Shun Hing Express in three packages, with a total shipping cost of 32 yuan.
When interviewed, she said: "Bannadu is not available in China. Even if it may take a month to be sent, it may be useful during the Chinese New Year." No one of her family and friends in Beijing has been diagnosed yet, so she sent the medicine home just for peace of mind.
Wei Lihuan (26 years old, beauty industry employee) bought more than 200 yuan (Singapore dollars, the same below, about 1,026 yuan) of medicines to send to her home in Guangxi. She said: "My parents and relatives are relatively old, so they are still worried. If other relatives and friends need medicine in the future, I will help in any way I can."
Educator Wang Xiaohua (31 years old) heard that her father could not buy rapid antigen detection reagents in Liaoning, so she mailed more than 100 yuan of rapid antigen detection reagents and antipyretics home through SingPost, which cost a total of 81 yuan in postage. Although she was not sure whether the express delivery would be successful, she was still willing to try.
Many people have also introduced on social media how to express medicines back home through the new postal service.
Respondents revealed that some Guardian and Watsons pharmacies (Watsons) had run out of Benadol for treating colds, and they had to go to several pharmacies to buy the medicine. In February and August this year, local pharmacies faced a shortage of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines.
Currently, each pharmacy website shows that these drugs are fully stocked.
