All Singapore residents will be able to collect an improved version of reusable masks as part of the nation's third mask collection exercise, from May 26.

All Singapore residents are eligible

All residents with a valid identification card can collect one ultra mask each over a three-week period.

This includes foreign domestic workers, foreign workers not living in dormitories and international students living in hostels, but does not include foreign tourists.

For foreign workers living in dormitories, masks will be distributed through the Ministry of Manpower channels.

Masks can be collected over a three-week period

From May 26 to June 1, residents can collect the masks at all 109 Community Clubs (CCs) and 661 Residents' Committee (RC) Centres, from 10am to 6pm daily.

For all three weeks, from May 26 to June 14, residents may also collect the masks from vending machines, available at all CCs, which will be operational 24 hours a day.

These vending machines will only be operational from May 26, 10am onwards.

Residents can visit the MaskGowhere website, set up by GovTech, for the latest information on the mask collection exercise, and to check the availability of masks in vending machines before collection.

Two mask sizes available

There will be two mask sizes available for collection: adult size and kid size.

The kid size masks are suitable for children 12 years old and below. Priority will be allocated to children 12 years old and below.

Those with adult identity cards will only be able to collect adult size masks, while those with children identity documents for children 12 years old and below can collect either an adult or kid size mask.

Both types of reusable masks are made of at least three layers of material, consisting of two layers of organic cotton and a "quick-dry and cooling layer".

These reusable masks have a "bacterial filtration efficiency of at least 95 per cent".

According to the packaging, the reusable masks can be reused and washed up to 30 times.

Do note that you should not iron, bleach or dry clean the masks.

The masks are designed in Singapore but manufactured in countries including Indonesia and Cambodia.

According to Ultra Masks website, the retail price of one such adult-size reusable mask is S$9.90.

400 mask vending machines

In order to avoid crowding at the collection points, families are encouraged to appoint one person to collect the masks on behalf of their whole household.

That person would have to bring along their family members' NRICs, birth certificate or any government-issued identification with barcode.

Temasek Foundation has also provided 400 vending machines to all the CCs across Singapore, for those who may not be able to collect the masks from the various CCs and RC Centres during operating hours.

All the high-touch areas on the vending machines are treated with self-disinfecting coating, which can last three months.

These vending machines will also be cleaned and restocked regularly.

Top image: photos taken by Jason Fan and Zheng Zhangxin.