Navi Mumbai: Home isolation on rise, oxygen cylinders in big demand

NAVI MUMBAI: Oxygen cylinders are seeing a rise in demand from households, especially with home quarantine rising for asymptomatic positive patients. And cylinders are almost running out of stock, say dealers, as fear of breathlessness, a symptom, and ageing population, are making families stock up.
Pharmacy owner Prashant Patil had to frantically look for a cylinder recently when he got a distress call from a family. “The caller’s father had problem breathing. Luckily, I managed a cylinder,” said Patil.
In Kharghar, Spaghetti Society has bought oxygen cans of 6 litre costing Rs 650 which can save lives in an emergency. “We got 10 cans for future use. A can, when not opened, can stay good for two years, but once opened has to be used the same day,” said secretary Yashwant Deshpande.
Jumbo metal cylinders are out of stock. A medium cylinder costs Rs 10,550, a vendor said. A supplier said a portable cylinder with 270 litres oxygen costs Rs 9,000 as it has costly accessories.