The Department of Health (DOH) Regional Office 9 is discouraging the public to buy and store oxygen tanks especially if it is not needed.

Dr. Joshua Brilliantes, DOH 9 Regional Director said, "We discourage yung private bumili kasi once magkulang yung tangke kawawa yung pasyente." (Referring to the oxygen)

As of now, he said, the region has an ample supply of oxygen.

He said the public must not do panic buying, so that it will not create an artificial shortage of oxygen tanks.

Aside from these, when there is oxgen, he said,  there must be someone who will regulate it.

In other areas in the Philippines there were reported shortage in oxygen supply due to Covid 19.

Oxygen are usually being used by patients with lung problems such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Coronavirus Disease 2019, and other medical problems. (R.G. Antonet A. Go, photo courtesy of SunStar)