Strategies for supplying face masks to the population of Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic

BMC Public Health

Table 1 Face mask supply and population distribution in Taiwan by month

Period	Age group	Mask supply by person (%)		Register population (%)		Standardized difference
Period	Age group	n	%	n	%	Standardized difference
2/6/2020 to 7/19/2020	0–9	1,728,403	8.66	1,826,052	7.74	0.03
	10–19	1,888,625	9.46	2,132,859	9.04	0.01
	20–59	11,613,738	58.20	14,024,290	59.42	0.02
	≧60	4,725,083	23.68	5,619,920	23.81	0.00
2/6/2020 to 3/4/2020	0–9	1,355,889	10.72	1,826,052	7.74	0.10
	10–19	1,299,456	10.27	2,132,859	9.04	0.04
	20–59	6,886,729	54.43	14,024,290	59.42	0.10
	≧60	3,110,780	24.59	5,619,920	23.81	0.02
3/5/2020 to 4/1/2020	0–9	1,473,339	10.05	1,826,052	7.74	0.08
	10–19	1,479,717	10.09	2,132,859	9.04	0.04
	20–59	8,062,801	55.00	14,024,290	59.42	0.09
	≧60	3,643,267	24.85	5,619,920	23.81	0.02
4/2/2020 to 4/29/2020	0–9	1,421,754	9.01	1,826,052	7.74	0.05
	10–19	1,587,403	10.06	2,132,859	9.04	0.03
	20–59	8,709,093	55.18	14,024,290	59.42	0.09
	≧60	4,063,760	25.75	5,619,920	23.81	0.04
4/30/2020 to 5/27/2020	0–9	931,482	8.04	1,826,052	7.74	0.01
	10–19	1,199,559	10.36	2,132,859	9.04	0.04
	20–59	6,370,606	55.01	14,024,290	59.42	0.09
	≧60	3,079,272	26.59	5,619,920	23.81	0.06
5/28/2020 to 6/24/2020	0–9	798,973	8.90	1,826,052	7.74	0.04
	10–19	938,709	10.45	2,132,859	9.04	0.05
	20–59	4,836,376	53.86	14,024,290	59.42	0.11
	≧60	2,405,910	26.79	5,619,920	23.81	0.07
6/25/2020 to 7/19/2020	0–9	696,351	9.17	1,826,052	7.74	0.05
	10–19	787,826	10.38	2,132,859	9.04	0.05
	20–59	4,069,870	53.61	14,024,290	59.42	0.12
	≧60	2,037,319	26.84	5,619,920	23.81	0.07

Mask supply statistics according to the purchase records of pharmacies, district public health centers, and face masks files of national health insurance
The population register is according to the national population statistics of Taiwan up to Dec 15, 2019

ISSN: 1471-2458