MILDURA businesses were sent into a spin on Thursday as shoppers scrambled to get their hands on masks before Monday.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced masks or face coverings would be mandatory whenever people left home across Victoria from next week.
The change expands on a rule already in place in Melbourne and will take effect from 11.59pm Sunday.
Runnymede Fire & Safety owner Wayne Stanbrough said the phone was ringing off the hook after Thursday’s announcement.
“We sold 2000 masks in an hour and a half,” he said.
“About 15 minutes after the announcement I got a text message asking if we had masks. We had people coming in and we rang about half a dozen clients and they were all sold.”
Mr Stanbrough said the business had sold increasing numbers of masks lately, about 8000 of a 10,000-product order going to local nursing homes.
He said the store was expecting 14,000 more masks next week and was now taking orders.
Spotlight Mildura experienced its busiest day of trading since opening in 1997 as mask-making supplies ran out the door.
Manager Kristel Davis said the store was flooded with hundreds of customers buying fabric, sewing machines and elastic.
“There’s not much elastic left and we’re almost out of interfacing too, which can be used as a filter,” she said.
“The dress section is like an open day. It’s just gone crazy.”
She said the store was staying open until 7pm to accommodate the influx and staff were gearing up for a busy weekend.
Among the crowd of shoppers were Mildura sisters Hayley Breewel and Erin Williams.
They said they had made about 30 masks between them in the past week and were now gathering supplies to make more for family and colleagues.
“We’ve been wearing the masks for about a week, just as a precaution,” Mrs Breewel said.
“We had seen stories about people refusing to wear masks in Melbourne.
“So, I think it’s only a matter of time before we see cases up here.”
