Costly COVID-19 mistakes: Can Pa. PPE manufacturers keep up with COVID-19 surge?

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold in March, panic buying became the standard: staples like toilet paper, hand sanitizer and cleaning products disappeared from shelves. Store employees could barely open a new package of cleaning wipes before they were gone. Limits on everyday items were enforced. Price gouging became a source of national outrage.

And while things eventually settled down a bit, in light of a potential second wave, the question remains: are we ready to do this again?

What worked

As major producers of products struggled to fill the shelves, smaller operations across the state stepped up their game to help out their fellow Pennsylvanians.

Distilleries across the state switched production lines to hand sanitizers to bridge the gap and support first responders and other front-line workers.

Russell Fletcher, owner of Mishka Premium Vodka in Allentown, said his company currently produces 25 tons of sanitizer per month, and noted that they have donated the life-saving product to Lehigh Valley Hospital workers, as well as other first responders and fire departments.

While those companies are happy to help their communities, production costs can get pricey. As such, employees are asking for those that can to purchase sanitizer from their companies to help with the funding, or donate directly to help offset costs.

As it became clear that COVID-19 wasn’t going anywhere, finding a quality mask for public outings became a top priority as well. The trouble was, the highly coveted N95 masks were difficult to come by. Experts advised the public to leave those, and surgical masks, to medical professionals, though many hospitals struggled to keep a sufficient supply.

Enter the community sewing groups. Enthusiastic amateurs and seasoned professionals banded together over social media to exchange patterns, tips, sources for supplies, and oftentimes just some support from their fellow community members in order to crank out protective gear for hospital workers across the commonwealth. Those with access to 3D printers helped out by producing face shields as well, ensuring that front-line workers were protected from the pandemic.

More:Costly COVID-19 mistakes: Pennsylvania nursing homes in midst of second wave of COVID-19

What failed

Not everything rolled out smoothly, especially in the earlier days of the pandemic. When Governor Tom Wolf issued a request for nonessential businesses throughout the state to shut down temporarily to help contain COVID-19, participation left something to be desired. Not long thereafter, the governor released a list of designations for businesses, though problems abounded.

Business owners cried foul when their operations were shut down and a competitor in a similar field was free to continue running.

Politicians called for clarity in the decision-making process and argued that bias was prevalent.

And while some essential businesses were permitted to keep operating, production problems sprang forward when integral parts of their supply chains were shut down. Without necessary chemicals and materials, these businesses were effectively neutered and unable to turn out the essential products, including medical supplies, that they were intended to.

Though this problem was addressed on April 4 with the establishment of the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Call to Action Portal — a tool to “mobilize manufacturers that are producing COVID-19-related products and supplies or can pivot to producing COVID-19-related supplies — keeping it afloat will be necessary to ensure that commonwealth companies can continue to operate efficiently.

“As we work to protect public health and safety and create a robust supply chain, we know that there are manufacturers across the commonwealth who are willing and able to help,” Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin said. “This portal will help facilitate the connections businesses need to get critical COVID-19-related products to market or retrofit their operations to begin production of those products.”

What needs to be done

With the potential for subsequent waves – and with it, more panic-spending – major manufacturers and their smaller brethren have been keeping production levels higher than average.

Proctor & Gamble’s Loren Fanroy said the company’s Charmin brand has seen “heightened consumer demand” throughout the pandemic, and in order to stay on top of things, they are producing products at “record levels.”

“We’re prioritizing our bestselling sizes to maximize the amount of product we can ship to retailers, and we remain focused on making sure our products are available when and where people shop during this highly dynamic situation,” Fanroy said.

While companies like Silverback Distillery have ceased donations, they are still producing and selling hand sanitizers. With amped-up production and numerous companies joining the market, it’s much easier to find yourself a life-saving pocket pack of sanitizer than it was even a few months ago.

Without question, keeping surfaces clean as cases surge – or during a second wave – will be vital to controlling COVID-19. The Bullen Companies in Folcroft, Delaware County – which manufacture hospital-grade disinfectants – increased production tenfold in March to keep up with demand, and even made some products available through a public-facing website.

However, companies like Bullen are running into some issues with acquiring raw materials for disinfectants due to heavy demand, and while they can still accept new orders, they are asking customers to allow more time for production.

At the end of the day, it just may end up being a case of leaving enough necessary supplies for everyone to make it through the pandemic, at least until production catches up to demand.

“It is serious as a heart attack,” Mark Warner, national sales manager of The Bullen Company, said about COVID-19 during a video update. “And the number one front line in defense for this entire thing, for the first time in history, is us. It’s us. It’s the cleaning industry, people that specialize as professionals in offering disinfectants that are efficacious for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, and for those professionals out there that are using them properly.”

Brian Myszkowski writes for the USA Today Network in Pennsylvania.