The newly circulating COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has led to an unparalleled demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as protective gowns, masks, gloves, protective goggles and respirators.
Unprecedented demand for PPE amongst countries severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic such as the U.S., Italy and Spain has put pressure on their healthcare industry to source PPE. In support of the global medical community’s ever-evolving COVID-19 crisis, manufacturers are increasing their production capabilities to produce protective gowns and other PPE which was formerly ubiquitous in hospital environments.
There is a surging demand for PPE and protective gowns supply in G20 countries. However, large volume manufacturing of PPE and protective gowns is inherently a time-consuming process, which has led to rapid increase in the number of ill COVID-19 patients.
Healthcare communities in the U.S. and other countries are heading toward a crisis mode. Popular news sources are revealing striking updates where healthcare providers are using large plastic bags as an alternative to protective gowns and plastic water bottle cutouts for eye protection.
Healthcare communities worldwide are planning for resupply of protective gowns and other PPE by means of repurposing industrial capacities. However, these techniques seem unlikely to solve the shortage of protective gowns, as even supply chains have become dysfunctional due to the pandemic.
Hence, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Strategic National Stockpile stepped in to solve this issue. But the lack of transparency in their inventory and popular news outlets stated that the organization’s supplies for protective gowns and other PPE are being distributed unevenly and are insufficient to meet surging demands.
In the light of such scarcity for protective gowns, healthcare practitioners are creating awareness that PPE is otherwise used for many elective purposes. They are creating awareness through advertising anddirect appeal to colleagues in dentistry, veterinary clinics and even stakeholders in the spa industry to donate PPE.
Medical personnel have put forward their word on how they’re being forced to reuse masks, protective gowns and are resorting to make their own protective medical gear.
However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that reuse and overuse of PPE during the current COVID-19 crisis does not commensurate with the U.S. standards of care.Such scarcity of protective gowns has encouraged individuals in popular TV shows such as the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘The Resident’ to donate PPE from their costume departments.
Moreover, automobile companies, textile forms, clothing designers and even furniture makers have joined the bandwagon to donate PPE.
Repurposing of materials and skills to produce protective gowns, masks and examination gloves is one of the prominent trends during the current COVID-19 scare. Media outlets are reporting their healthcare workers are increasingly benefitting by the generous donations made by individuals.
Repurposing of materials to produce protective gowns have made a tremendous impact in healthcare communities. However, there is a dire need for more protective gowns and PPE supply due to the surging spike of ill COVID-19 patients.
As desperation is fueling the demand for protective gowns, healthcare communities are now turning toward textile industries to conserve PPE. For instance, Standard Textile - a company born out of eighty years of experience in textile innovations, is creating awareness about its reusable protective gowns made from high-tech ComPel® fabric which allows moisture vapor to pass through as liquids are repelled.
Thus, healthcare providers are hunting small- and large-scale textile companies that can join forces with healthcare workers to address the scarcity of protective gowns.
Manufacturers in the textile industry are capitalizing on the demand for protective gowns and are increasing their production capabilities to develop gowns with lightweight fabric to offer dependable liquid-resistance protection. In order to boost their credibility credentials, healthcare workers are encouraging textile companies to voluntarily supply precaution gowns.
Major retailers and some of the big labels in the apparel industry are translating their conventional production practices into revenue streams by boosting the supply of protective gowns. As published by CNBC, famous brands such as GAP and Eddie Bauer are shifting their production lines from making clothes to manufacturing protective gowns and face masks.
As patient numbers swell throughout the U.S., hospitals and healthcare facilities are facing an outright shortage for PPE.Hence, many retailers and consumer-facing companies have joined forces with healthcare communities to use their knowledge and supplier base to fill the void in the supply of protective equipment.
Retailers are shifting from apparel making to manufacturing protective gowns and masks, whilst channeling their own supply of PPE toward healthcare workers in the U.S. Strategic team ups between high-end departmental store Neiman Marcus and sewing retailor Joann have helped to increase the availability of protective gowns and scrubs for frontline healthcare workers.
The life-threatening Coronavirus has taken over the world like an unexpected storm by endangering the lives of many. An alarming number of COVID-19 patients has turned into a wakeup call for healthcare facilities to obey their duty in fail-safe planning to avoid war zone situation amidst scarcity of protective gowns and PPE.
Stakeholders in various end markets are taking cues from Indian healthcare professionals who are increasing their efficacy in infectious diseases data mining with the assistance of advanced medical technologies.
The rampant spread of Coronavirus has exposed the vulnerability of healthcare systems and governments who lack research into infectious diseases, thus resulting in the scarcity of basic PPE including protective gowns, face masks and gloves.
On the other hand, experts in the U.S. are emphasizing on the importance of ‘flattening the curve’ to prevent the disease burden from reaching an overload on the healthcare systems, thus reducing pressure on manufacturers to produce protective gowns, masks and gloves.
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