PPE is the equipment needed by health-care staff to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 — in this case, surgical masks, face shields, fluid-repellent medical gowns, N95 masks, goggles and latex gloves.
Health-care professionals have said they’ve been forced to ration and are sounding the alarm: without proper protection, they can’t protect the public.
China produces the majority of the world’s supply of personal protective equipment.
When the COVID-19 pandemic erupted and China closed many of its factories, the global supply chain was severely disrupted.
With Canada’s situation evolving so rapidly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government has allocating $2 billion to be spent on PPE and medical equipment for front-line health workers, including bulk purchases with provinces and territories.
Canada’s fight against the novel coronavirus has left front-line health-care workers exhausted and concerned over shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE).
