Are you following the supply chain problems of medical supplies through 2020? You may be wondering why medical glove national stockpiles went from over 17 million in December 2019 to only 2 million by December 2020. This happened while mask demands seem to have leveled off. But the question is: Why? In this post, we’ll cover how the Strategic National Stockpile is working to overcome them after COVID-19 has exposed weaknesses in its infrastructure. Want to know more? Keep reading.

What’s So Hard About Keeping Up With PPE Demand?

The Strategic National Stockpile, or SNS, has had a really difficult time in 2020 keeping up with medical supply demands. But why is that, when we can just make more? One reason is that there is not just a domestic demand for PPE, but also a global one. On top of the normal supplies used for heart attacks, surgeries, pregnancies, and more, now hospitals and clinics need to factor in the highly infectious COVID-19 spreading through the world. This year more than 15,000 tons of cargo have been shipped, with over 630 flights and 4,065 trucks transporting supplies. More than 200 individuals serve the stockpile operation center in engaging over 150 private industry and medical supply contacts. So, it isn’t like they’re sitting on their hands. Speaking of hands, while ventilators and N95 masks have finally met demand, gloves are still falling behind and being marked up to absurd levels. This forced the CDC to put out strategies for optimizing the supply of disposable medical gloves for healthcare professionals. To be honest, there really aren’t that many domestic manufacturers of medical gloves and this is the primary reason it’s hard to keep up with PPE.

Domestic Manufacturers of Medical Gloves

This is a national security problem that the SNS is trying to overcome by putting over $638 million in investments into 17 companies. They hope to reduce supply vulnerabilities not just with ventilators but other PPE as well.

Why Don’t We Just Start Producing Gloves?

Ansell is the leading manufacturer of medical nitrile gloves for examination and surgery, but many of its production facilities are overseas, even though the HQ for the Australian company is in the USA. Only one nitrile glove producer is manufacturing in the states, in Fayette, Alabama. Showa is a great glove producer but only produces latex gloves for medical purposes. All of its other nitrile solutions are for industrial use over knitted gloves.

But Why Are Gloves Falling Behind Compared to Masks?

While it is a simple enough process the machines used to make NBR and the gloves are not just on the shelf ready to purchase. It takes time to build and expand, which is why the SNS is investing in companies along the supply chain, including glove manufacturers. The good news is that as time goes on, the supply chain will be strengthened domestically and prices will fall. Masks are generally easy to manufacture, with even fashion companies making cloth masks for everyday use. This eases the strain on medical supplies.

What Can I Do?

Don’t use gloves unless it’s absolutely necessary for you. They’re handy to use in a variety of household chores and you may be thinking you are protecting yourself any others. The reality, though, is that you aren’t really helping anyone if you’re stockpiling them without a medical necessity. Check out why the CDC doesn’t believe gloves are necessary for the general population. Don’t stockpile, and if you do have some unopened boxes, see about donating them to medical facilities around your local area.

Shortage of Nitrile Gloves: 2021 Will Be Better

We’re all hoping 2021 will be better and all signs point to that being the case. However, there are things we can do in the meantime to make things better for all. Don’t stockpile unnecessarily or stockpile the wrong goods. Wash your hands often or use sanitizers. Try to keep your hands to yourself. If you need to replenish your stock of nitrile gloves, we have plenty in stock. Click here to view our gloves and other PPE.

    • Med Lab Supply Your Source for Medical

    Recent Posts