The media trumpeted that the Moscow metro was starting to sell masks. Many hoped that prices would be humane, but no.
On May 5, Deptrans wrote in its telegram channel: "We already import masks and gloves at the metro station and load them into vending machines.
The masks will arrive at 15 stations today. Gradually, masks and gloves will appear at other stations.
After complete equipment at the stations, passengers will have access to 3 types of products: one mask for 30 rubles, a set of gloves for 20 rubles, a whole set of masks and gloves for 50 rubles.
Selling masks and gloves at ticket offices is an extreme option, but we will go for it where there are enough windows and no other options".
My metro station Sviblovo turned out to be one of fifteen "lucky stations" and I went to see what they actually sell.
There is a double vending machine in the underground passage of one of the station exits.
The promised masks for 30 rubles and gloves for 20 rubles are not on sale. Sold only sets of mask + a pair of gloves for 50 rubles.
The inscription "+ disposable gloves" below is rather small and hardly visible.
Today, May 7, I went into the subway again. The vending machine had only masks for 30 rubles, there were no sets of 50 rubles and gloves for 20 rubles.
Let me remind you that before the epidemic, masks were sold in pharmacies at prices ranging from 1 ruble to 50 kopecks apiece.
On May 12, Moscow introduced the mandatory wearing of masks and, for some reason, gloves in transport and shops.
Many hoped that masks in the metro would be cheaper than in other places, but the miracle did not happen.
© 2020, Alexey Nadezhin
The main topic of my blog is technology in human life. I write reviews, share experiences, talk about all sorts of interesting things. My second project - lamptest.ru. I test LED bulbs and help figure out which ones are good and which are not so good.