Imports of medical supplies plummet as demand in US soars
The critical shortage of medical supplies across the U.S., including testing swabs, protective masks, surgical gowns and hand sanitizer, can be tied to a sudden drop in imports, mostly from China, The Associated Press has found.
Trade data shows the decline in shipments started in mid-February after the spiraling coronavirus outbreak in China led the country to shutter factories and disrupted ports.
And as few as 13 shipments of non-medical N95 masks have arrived in the past month — half as many as arrived the same month last year.
In mid-February, the World Health Organization warned that global demand for safety gear for medical providers was 100 times higher than normal.
Trade policies haven’t helped. Tariffs on medical supplies made them more expensive, and they were only lifted March 5, even though health care associations asked the administration last year to exempt items like masks, gloves and gowns.