A volunteer carries free vegetables to the kitchen of a medical observation site in Nanxun District of Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, Jan 31, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, will offer residents facial masks free of charge to ease their difficulties in purchasing.

Starting from 7:30 pm Saturday, each resident can reserve five masks through the official online WeChat account of the Hangzhou Municipal Medical Security Bureau, and pick them up the next day at designated drugstores. They can make a reservation every 10 days.

The measures will be put on a trial run in the urban districts of Shangcheng, Xiacheng, Jianggan, Gongshu, Xihu,Binjiang and the Qiantang New Area, according to a notice issued by the municipal government Saturday afternoon.

A first batch of 15 designated drugstores will begin to offer free masks in these areas starting Sunday.