Covid-19 impact on healthcare supply chains, news by Hebei Longsheng
| You don’t always get what you need – COVID-19’s impact on healthcare supply chains The spread of coronavirus has led to a significant surge in demand for healthcare products ranging from protective equipment and ventilators to pharmaceuticals. This report brings together Panjiva’s research findings from over a dozen reports as well as fresh data for U.S. imports in the three weeks to March 21. A defining trend has been the spread of protectionist export measures, including those by the EU, which may continue despite a G20 initiative. EU exports of personal protective equipment were worth 12.8 billion euros ($14.0 billion) in 2019 and fell by 3.9% year over year in January. Countries that are importers of medical products meanwhile have slashed tariffs and other restrictions to both cut costs and encourage imports. There is, however, an information gap with the head of FEMA stating he is "blind to where all the product is" within the U.S. Panjiva’s data for U.S. seaborne imports of masks shows a slump of 70.5% year over year in the first three weeks of March, while shipments of protective gloves fell 54.9% and eyewear dropped 45.2%. |
