The COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the entire world has also lead to a shortage of many essential supplies, one of these being the N95 masks. The N95 masks are an essential tool for hospitals, and now the public is being recommended to use them as well in order to combat the spread of this virus. This great demand for N95 masks has led the manufacturers into a tight spot. The demand has greatly outpaced their ability to produce these masks. 3M, the biggest manufacturer of these masks has started to ramp up production, as long as other smaller companies. Even so, they don't expect to cover the demand, not for a couple of months at least. President Trump has already invoked the Production Defense Act in order to speed up the production. Furthermore, other companies, such as Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., car making companies, have started the production of ventilators in order to help the community out as much as possible. It is important that American companies start increasing their production since it is impossible to import these kinds of products from other countries facing the same problem.
It is important to read articles like this because it informs us of current events. Furthermore, this article relates to marketing since we can easily see the supply and demand for a product as well as companies adapting to help fill in the gap.
Interestingly enough, one can find a silver lining in this shortage of what is undoubtedly an essential product - the rather large degree of independently made masks being produced by private citizens and donated to hospitals that desperately need them. Such reflects a level of social responsibility in the common citizen that rarely manifests in such great amounts.
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