Export bans on medical supplies to hamper global virus response

The COVID-19 pandemic is clear evidence we live in a global community. In a world where people and goods travel from country to country every day, conditions for viral spread are favorable. This is one of the drawbacks of globalization. And in how different nations have reacted to it, we’re seeing another. We might live in a global village, but elected officials are primarily responsible for their constituents. This is equally true for the Presidents of the United States and France, the Premiers of Ontario and New South Wales, and the Mayors of London, England, and Topeka, Kansas. No leader wants to harm people living in other jurisdictions actively, but they prioritize their citizens first. To that end, we have seen several bans on exports of medical supplies. The degree to which these export bans are wise is the subject of debate.

Many see these export bans as callous and selfish, but to say they categorically don’t work is simply untrue. The best example of this is probably Taiwan. The Asian island nation has been held up as a prime example of how best to deal with the virus. Their first confirmed case of COVID-19 occurred on January 21, 2020. As of April 27, the total number of confirmed cases is only 429. This is in a densely populated nation of nearly 24 million that is close both geographically and socio-economically to the People’s Republic of China, where the outbreak began. For perspective, there have been more confirmed cases in Malta, the Channel Islands, and the cruise ship The Diamond Princess. How did Taiwan do it? A big part of their success is due to their banning exports of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) back on January 24.

But Taiwan is a relatively small island nation. And to their credit, they have been donating some masks to other countries. The implications of the United States or the European Union enacting similar bans are quite different. President Donald Trump caused no small amount of consternation when he invoked the Defense Production Act to halt the planned export of 3M-manufactured masks to Canada. The move prompted criticism from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and harsh words from Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Indeed, the move was so controversial that 3M initially resisted the order. 

That controversy has been partially smoothed over by the signing of a deal to export 166 million masks from China. Ultimately, what leaders everywhere need to understand is that in our globalized world, if coronavirus is a threat somewhere, it’s a threat everywhere. Healthcare workers are in desperate need of PPE, and any move that restricts their access to it is counterproductive.

If you’re worried that your business will be affected by COVID-19, Export Portal can help you craft a strategy to weather this storm and potentially come out the other side stronger than ever.