Hospitals stockpile supplies amid coronavirus-related mask shortage; Schein makes statement
The coronavirus has fueled fears of a shortage of key protective medical devices, namely the specialized N95 respirator masks that are needed to protect health workers treating infectious patients. The CDC recommends that medical employees working with coronavirus patients wear N95 masks, specifically. Any disruption in the distribution of supplies like N95 masks could pose a risk to medical practitioners who rely on certain pieces of protective equipment. Henry Schein’s website now includes a notice for consumers in the U.S. stating, “Due to the coronavirus outbreak, we are experiencing higher than normal demand globally for infection control products such as masks, goggles and face shields, among other items. We are working with our manufacturing and supply chain partners, as well as global health organizations including the Pandemic Supply Chain Network, WHO, the Chinese Ministry of Health, and the CDC, to address shortages as they occur. Given this situation and acute market needs, we anticipate disruptions to orders for certain infection products in various markets. Please contact your local Henry Schein consultant for specific inventory inquiries.” A spokesperson for Henry Schein, speaking to Business Insider, said, “It’s too soon to say what the long-term effects will be on business from the outbreak. Henry Schein reports on our Q4 financial results later this month, and we’ll have a better sense by then of the impact of the outbreak.” Read more about the concerns to medical practitioners here.
Boston Scientific puts dollar amount on possible losses to coronavirus, absorbs hits in supply chain
Boston Scientific (Marlborough, MA) has estimated the coronavirus outbreak will cost the company from $10 million to $40 million in sales. Boston Scientific expects $12 billion in sales this year, but it’s a sign of how the effects of coronavirus are beginning to be felt across the global economy. The virus outbreak hit airline and oil stocks in late January, and the impact on much of the rest of the corporate landscape is building slowly. Boston Scientific says it expects to absorb revenue hits from canceled surgeries in areas where the virus is prevalent, and from disruptions in its supply chain. Read more on Boston Scientific and other companies bracing for the impact of coronavirus here.
WHO warns number of coronavirus cases outside China could be tip of iceberg
People went back to work Monday in China after an extended Lunar New Year holiday as the government eased restrictions imposed to counter the coronavirus. But WHO has warned the number of cases outside China could be just “tip of the iceberg.” European stocks fell on concerns about the impact of factory closures in China, the world’s second-largest economy, for companies from Taiwan’s iPhone-maker Foxconn to carmakers Kia Motors and Nissan. The virus has now spread to 27 countries and territories. Read more about WHO’s assessment here.
Chinese president tours Beijing after 97 die in a day
Xi Jinping, China’s president, made a rare public appearance in several public places in Beijing on Monday. He visited a hospital and a local government office in Beijing, and joined a video conference with health workers in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. The Chinese leader has made only a handful of public appearances since the epidemic forced the lockdown of Wuhan and other cities in Hubei Province. President Xi, wearing a blue surgical mask, made no public remarks. He toured Ditan Hospital and the center for disease control in Chaoyang, one of the biggest districts in Beijing. Ninety-seven people died from coronavirus on Sunday in China, a new daily record since the new coronavirus was first detected in December, as the death toll rose to 908. The new total surpasses the toll from the SARS epidemic of 2002 and 2003. Read more here.
More coronavirus resources from The Journal of Healthcare Contracting:
- Day-by-day Timeline of major events
- FAQ/Insights – Helpful and relevant links to help you keep track of the ongoing epidemic