An Indian man said he paid about USD 4,000 for a bespoke gold face mask to protect him from the coronavirus raging in the country. The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams and took craftsmen eight days to make, said businessman Shankar Kurhade, from the western city of Pune.
“It is a thin mask and has tiny pores that are helping me to breathe,” Shankar said.“I am not sure if it will be effective to protect me from a coronavirus infection but I am taking other precautions,” he added.
When going out, the 49-year-old said he likes to adorn himself with gold jewelry weighing a kilogram, including a bracelet, necklace, and rings on each finger of his right hand.
Kurhade whose company makes industrial sheds said he got the idea for the gold face mask after seeing a media report about a man wearing one made from silver. “People are asking me for selfies,” he said. “They are awestruck when they see me wearing the gold mask in markets.”
India has made face masks mandatory in public places in a bid to control the spread of the virus in the country, which has around 650,000 confirmed cases and more than 18,600 fatalities.
(This article originally appeared on Arab News)
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