Coronavirus Procurement Commissioner Domenico Arcuri said Tuesday "I think we'll be wearing face masks for a long time yet".
He said "there is no 'free-everyone' (situation) in sight".
Arcuri added that there had been an "intolerable speculation" on the prices of masks.
"Watch out for mirages, more than 16,000 people have already died and others will die," he said, appealing to people not to leave their homes.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA