PPE Shortages during Chinese New Year: What to Expect

As the COVID-19 virus rages on, industry experts warn of another PPE shortage amidst a production holiday in China.

Beginning February 12 and lasting for 16 days total, the country takes its annual leave of work to observe the Chinese New Year. As Chinese workers celebrate the year of the Ox, most production and export operations will be paused for at least a week during this time.

Rising COVID-19 positive cases and halting PPE production could be a lethal storm if buyers do not stay ahead of the trend. Industry experts advise buyers to stock up on supplies quickly. As more and more hospitals run out of beds, it will be crucial to get ahead of China’s production pause to meet PPE demands.

China dominates the world’s production on medical supplies. According to The New York Times, China exported 70.6 billion masks from last March through May. The entire world produced about 20 billion the year before, with China accounting for half.

Buyers can expect the following:

    Upcoming PPE price increases, especially on gloves and masks

     Delays at ports impacting product arrival times

     Increased demand as a result of growing positivity rate

In an effort to ease the impact of the upcoming PPE shortage, buyers should plan ahead and make purchases this week to avoid pitfalls.

With an enormous logistics team in both China and the United States, Global Sourcing can help your organization stay ahead of the shortages with medical-grade, FDA approved PPE and EPA approved disinfectant products. Talk with a specialist today for more information

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