Photo/Illutration High-performance N95 masks (Provided by Koken Ltd.)

Medical staff on the front lines of the battle against the novel coronavirus face a prolonged shortage of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) despite the government’s request for increased production.

Alarmed by the worsening situation, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged executives of companies that manufacture face masks, gowns and other medical gear to quickly replenish the dwindling PPE supplies during video conferences held on April 15 and 16.

Although some companies are eager to help out, they said it could take months before they can ramp up production. Others expressed concerns that they could be stuck with a stockpile of unsold face masks and other products after the COVID-19 outbreak is contained.

“The government will buy up any unsold products for stock,” Abe said at the April 16 video conference.

Medical professionals wear high-performance N95 masks and medical gowns that cover the body from the neck down to protect against contagions, but they are now unable to freely use such PPE.

“We used to frequently change our masks each day, but the hospital sent us a notice that said doctors and nurses can use one mask per day while office workers should use one mask for two days,” said a female doctor at a general hospital in Hyogo Prefecture.

Yoshitake Yokokura, president of the Japan Medical Association, said at an April 15 news conference that the country needs 30 million N95 masks and 20 million to 30 million gowns per month, but both are in short supply.

“Medical institutions are calculating for how many weeks or months their stock will last,” Yokokura said.

Nagaileben Co., a Tokyo-based firm that manufactures white coats and other medical supplies, announced on April 16 it developed medical gowns that can be washed and reused. The company plans to produce 200,000 gowns a month from June.

Koken Ltd., a Tokyo-based mask manufacturer, said the same day it will heighten production capacity and start making 2 million N95 masks a month as early as August.

Manufacturers of liquid crystal displays and electronic parts can easily start producing face masks because they already have the necessary equipment, such as cleanrooms.

However, an official of one major electronics company said, “We can’t immediately begin producing (face masks) because all our production lines are working to meet deadlines set by other clients.”

An official of a leading chemical manufacturer said, “Advanced technology is required to produce medical gowns, so it will take time to boost production.”

A senior official of a Tokyo-based medical products sales company pointed out another problem: Japan depends on imports for most of its N95 masks and gowns.

“The products are now in short supply because China and Taiwan are restricting exports of such products,” the official said. “Even if domestic companies try to increase production, they will have difficulties in securing nonwoven cloth, a raw material of disposable face masks, amid the global shortage.

“I don’t think we can overcome the shortage of masks anytime soon.”

(This article was written by Eisuke Eguchi, Taiki Koide and Takao Shinkai.)

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