The world may soon experience a shortage in protection due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to Malaysia-based company Karex Bhd. — the world’s primary condom supplier — there’s possibility for a global shortage. Brands like Durex face cuts in supply up to 50 percent and the current stockpile is only set to last for two more months, according to a report.
Thankfully, the Karex factory started up again on Friday after shutting down operations for one week. However, only half of its workers are staffed in order to comply with government lockdowns in China and India.
Goh Miah Kiat, Karex’s group chief executive officer said: “I would definitely say this is an unprecedented stage, we have never seen such a disruption.”
To put this into perspective, Karex produces one in every five condoms worldwide. The company produces 5 billion condoms per year for more than 140 countries.
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Source: Bloomberg | Photo via Wikimedia Commons