It looks like the current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting more people than you think.

In fact, it may be affecting your ancestors too!

Staying protected in the afterlife

Joss paper masks, anyone?
A picture showing a shop selling colourful paper face masks has been going viral on social media.

The picture is perfectly normal - except that the picture was taken at a joss paper shop in Hong Kong and the masks are actually offerings for the dead.

The picture was first posted by a Facebook user Chris Goh on the Complaint Singapore page with the caption: "Ghost month coming soon, anyone need mask can pm me ? "


The packaging includes the Chinese words 'xian ren kou zhao', which roughly translates to 'ancestor's masks'.

According to Mothership SG, the joss paper face masks are going for RM30 a piece, which is almost the same price as a reusable cloth mask for us humans.

The picture sparked some really witty comments from netizens, including those wondering if the dead needs to undergo quarantine before being accepted into the underworld.

(Actually, that's a pretty legit question)


We wonder if there are any joss paper shops in Malaysia that are selling paper face masks too.

You know, just in case the coronavirus makes its way into the other world.