SARS scare boosts sales of vitamins
SARS scare boosts sales of vitamins
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Fears of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has boosted the
income of drug traders as people rush to take vitamins and other
food supplements to ward off the spread of the virus.
"The disease brings luck for my business," said Teguh, a
street vendor on Jl. Tomang Raya, West Jakarta.
He said that before news of the disease broke, he sold about
60 vitamin C tablets, each for Rp 500 (about 5 US cents), per
day.
"But now I can even sell more than 100 tablets per day. Once,
I even sold 160 in a day," he said.
SARS is a new mystery virus causing panic around the
world.
The latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows
there are 2,722 cases worldwide and have been 106 deaths.
Doctors said that building a resistance by maintaining a
proper diet, ensuring adequate rest and regular exercise could
mean avoiding infection.
Dr. Sardikin Giriputro, the head of the SARS treatment center
at Sulianti Saroso Hospital in Sunter, North Jakarta, said a
balanced diet was enough.
"Good nutrition can actually be provided from our daily diet.
With adequate rest, drinking enough water and avoiding smoking,
someone will be able to maintain resistance," Dr. Sardikin said.
He said a daily dose of 500 milligram of vitamin C was enough.
"Any consumption more than that will be wasted through the
urine."
Intensive advertisements for vitamin and other food
supplements have became a new phenomenon lately. They all claim
to prevent SARS. The claims seem to be working in terms of sales.
Karlina, 32, an employee of a private bank, was at a drugstore
looking for vitamins. "This SARS disease somehow reminds me to
consume vitamins and other food supplements regularly," she said.
"I usually miss taking it daily, but now I have to be more
disciplined for my own sake," said Karlina, who preferred using
supplements instead of relying on a balanced diet.
She said she now consumed about five 500-milligram vitamin C
tablets per day.
"I do not have a healthy diet, so I might miss something," she
said.
Karlina said her tight schedule meant it was difficult to
exercise.
The situation resulted in robust sales for drugstores.
Cinde, owner of Sejahtera, a drugstore in Glodok Plaza, West
Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that sales of
vitamins, food supplements, hand sanitizers and Chinese herbal
drugs had jumped 200 percent.
"These capsules are actually for those who want clearer
breathing and better respiration, but maybe people think it could
help them prevent SARS so they rushed for it anyway," she said,
showing a small thin box with pink-colored Chinese characters
around it.
Yoesoef from a drugstore in the Pramuka market, East Jakarta,
said sales of vitamins and supplements had increased by about 100
percent.