WHO suggests that the global shortage of facemasks is a risk to the dental industry

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that due to the coronavirus outbreak, a large number of people are panic buying protective equipment, including goggles, respirators and gloves; as a result, putting healthcare worker’s lives in danger.

Furthermore, the dental industry is also in danger due to people all over the globe buying face masks; and as a result, WHO has estimated that the manufacturing industries would need to up their momentum by forty per cent in order to meet the upsurge in demands.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-general of WHO, stated: “Without secure supply chains, the risk to worldwide healthcare is real. Industry and governments must act quickly to boost supply and ease export restrictions. They must put measures in place to stop speculation and hoarding. We can’t stop COVID-19 without protecting health workers first.”