A few weeks ago, just about anybody who wanted a hazmat suit could buy one, but now at least one company is only selling the head-to-toe protective suits and other gear to emergency responders and healthcare workers, thanks to the growing Ebola scare in the United States.
DQE President Tony Baumgartner said his Indiana-based distributorship has "historically been open to anyone who wants to call and buy their own suit," but now there is a shortage of hazardous material, or hazmat, suits,
according to The Hill.
"In this case, the supply chains for the garments are starting to become strained," Baumgartner said. "There had been no supply issue concerns prior to about two weeks ago."
But now, for several hazmat suit products on
DQE's website, there is a notice in red that reads: "Due to significant surges in order volume and resulting supply strains, we are currently fulfilling orders on PPE [personal protective equipment] from qualified healthcare and emergency response providers only. Orders must be accompanied by organization purchase order or purchasing directive on organization's letterhead."
DQE is not only limiting sales on full suits, but on individual components as well, including boots, gloves, eye protection, and other items that protect wearers from contact with Ebola or other deadly diseases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthcare workers should wear gloves, a protective gown, eye protection, and a face mask when treating a patient with Ebola. In addition, workers may need to double-up on gloves and add covers for their shoes and legs.
DQE is continuing to sell gear to hospitals, and on Thursday sent a shipment to Liberia.
The demand for the company's protective gear started to grow when Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan came to Dallas. He died Oct. 8, and two nurses, Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, both of whom cared for him at a Dallas hospital, have been diagnosed with the deadly disease.
Lakeland Industries of New York, which makes protective gear, said last week that the supplies of hazmat gear could slow down if companies aren't prepared, The Hill reports.
"We understand the difficulty of getting appropriate products through a procurement system that in times of crisis favors availability over specification, and we hope our added capacity will help alleviate that problem," CEO Christopher J. Ryan said in a press release.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Agency for International Development is seeking bids to buy 160,000 hazmat suits to help West African countries affected by Ebola, according to The Hill.
Some
manufacturers are boosting their production to meet the growing demand. DuPont, which makes gear used in both West Africa and the United States, said it has more than tripled its production since the start of the outbreak in March.
Kimberly-Clark, which makes protective disposable medical equipment for healthcare workers, said it has seen a 20 to 30 percent rise in demand compared with the same time period last year.
Another company, Medline, a manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies, has reported a more than 40 percent increase in sales of face masks, eyewear, and shields, and a more than 25 percent increase in protective apparel sales in the past 30 days.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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