Second round of haze mask distribution starts Friday, eligibility expanded to seniors aged 60 and above

“So no need to panic. There are always masks available, and we just need to give the retailers some time to replenish their shelves,” Ms Fu said.

Air quality across Singapore has improved, with hourly PM2.5 readings in the normal range across all regions as of 1pm on Thursday.

This follows a sharp deterioration earlier in the month. On Oct 14, the hourly PM2.5 reading in the west hit 288, the highest in Singapore since 2015. The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index in the west reached 230 on Oct 18, the highest islandwide reading this year.

At a press conference on the haze situation on Oct 16, Ms Fu warned that air quality could reach hazardous levels. She said the situation remained fluid and depended on weather conditions, adding that the haze could last for another three to four weeks.

The government began distributing N95 masks on Oct 14 at all community clubs. A total of 37 vending machines dispensing free N95 masks to eligible Singaporeans were also deployed islandwide.