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Additional References for Presentation (Stage 2)

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Additional References for Presentation (Stage 2)

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-Coronavirus: Singapore boosting production of masks since February

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-boosting-production-of-masks-since-feb

- Singapore Stats on Daily New COVID-19 Cases
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/singapore/
- COVID-19: Singapore looking at new sources, local manufacturing for essential supplies such as masks

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/wuhan-virus-coronavirus-covid-19-supplies-mnd-masks-778641

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Macroeconomics Prelim Analysis [Based on 5 key sources of Information]

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Macroeconomics Prelim Analysis [Based on 5 key sources of Information]

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Mask industry contributing to GDP of Singapore. [1]
Gross Domestic Product is a  measure of the size and health of a country's economy.

Due to the high demand for surgical masks in Singapore during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was scarcity in the market for a few months due to panic buying, and lack of supply. Since then, many new local firms have adapted and become responsible for the manufacture and distribution of surgical masks throughout Singapore. This can be attributed to the relatively easy means to be certified to produce surgical maks.

Consequently, this has led to a growth of the manufacturing industry in Singapore, specifically in the biomedical manufacturing cluster. This was also due to robust output expansion in the pharmaceuticals segment. Additionally, exporting masks abroad also contributed as to why there was such growth in the biomedical manufacturing industry.

Support from Key Sources [1]

Despite these economic disruptions, Singapore’s manufacturing sector grew by 3.5 per cent year-on-year (yoy) in 1H20, supported by output expansions in the biomedical manufacturing and precision engineering clusters

The biomedical manufacturing cluster expanded by 27 per cent yoy in 1H20, extending the 4.1 per cent growth in 2H19. The strong performance of the cluster was due to robust output expansion in the pharmaceuticals segment (36 per cent), as the production of both active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and biological products increased over the period.

This was on account of workplace disruptions arising from the Circuit Breaker (CB) measures that were in place for the most part of 2Q20, as well as weak demand for non-COVID-19 related medical devices (e.g., medical implants) as major export markets were mired in their own lockdowns. Nonetheless, an increase in export demand for COVID-19 related medical devices (e.g., respiratory devices) helped to provide some support to the segment during 2Q20

General Price Level Situation in Singapore

Overall, the surgical mask prices have inflated for 2 main reasons.

Part 1:

The first reason is because of scarcity and shortage experienced in the entire market as a whole leading to Demand-Pull Inflation.

This inflation is called Demand-Pull Inflation where the increase in consumer demand for surgical mask in this Covid-19 circumstance is the primary reason that drives demand-pull inflation. The general price level in the economy is “pulled up” by the pressure from the buyer’s increase in their total expenditure.

Demand-Pull Inflation is due to Shortage from High Demand (Supply < Demand)

An increase in total spending (demand) may lead to an increase in the price level. When sellers are unable to supply all the goods and services buyers demand, sellers respond by raising prices (upward pressure on price). This is also known as “too much money chasing too few goods.”

This led to the overall average increase in surgical mask prices over the course of this pandemic. This can be seen from Key Source [2] Part 1, where even though the prices are regulated by authorities would still inflate reasonably  because of the large spike in demand and the inability of supply to catch up, causing the shortage.

Part 2:

The second reason is because of sellers trying to take advantage and capitalise and profit from the general public’s worry and panic which led them to increase prices greatly since mask demand increased exponentially due to the pandemic and the low price elasticity of demand for surgical mask since it is a necessity as stated in part 1 of our microeconomic analysis.

Profiteering from the shortage of surgical mask from the huge demand led to the grossly inflated prices, taking the opportunity to reap the benefits of (the situation). However, do note that even though these sellers hiked up prices, authorities and regulators have been trying to penalise and remove such unreasonable price listings.

Support from Key Info Source: [2] Part 1

Surgical and N95 masks have become highly sought after in recent weeks as the Wuhan virus - which has killed 170 people and infected more than 7,000 people in China  - has prompted consumers to clear shops of products used to prevent its spread.

E-commerce platforms said they will cooperate with the authorities and remove listings if necessary. The online marketplaces said that while they do not regulate prices, they will ensure that sellers do not hike prices of products used as preventative measures against the Wuhan virus to "unreasonable" levels. (Indicates that sellers still need to increase the price. Just need to ensure not unreasonable)

To help meet high demand for face masks, Qoo10 is encouraging overseas merchants to make more stock available here, as well as directly sourcing and purchasing masks to add to Singapore's supply, he said.

Support from Key Info Source: [2] Part 2

The authorities are cracking down on profiteers, following complaints that some businesses and individuals have been selling face masks for grossly inflated prices amid a surge in demand.

The Government's Price Controller on Thursday (Jan 30) asked a retailer at 313 @ Somerset mall to explain the basis for the selling prices of its masks, giving it until next Monday to respond.

A packet of 10 surgical masks usually costs around $5 and 20 N95 masks cost about $40. But the masks sold at the Orchard Road store, Deen Express, are alleged to cost much more.

Singapore strengthening its resilience in terms of masks supply amid the COVID-19 pandemic [3]

During the initial stage of COVID-19 outbreak back in early 2020, there was an inadequate supply of masks in the market to meet the sudden surge in demand.  This had resulted in adverse impacts such as panic-buying and substantial hike in mask prices, which were subsequently eased by the Singapore government’s interventions such as increasing mask supply by looking for new sources and building up local production capabilities.

Even with the majority of the Singapore population being vaccinated, the government continues to make mask wearing mandatory so as to contain the spread of COVID-19 and prevent resurgence.  As such, the demand for masks will remain high, leading to the importance of having corresponding adequate supply.

The Singapore government continues to make efforts to enhance mask supply resiliency.

One of such initiatives is through ST Engineering (a government linked corporation) expanding mask production to include the making of its own melt-blown polypropylene filters to minimise risk of production disruption as a result of key component shortage*.  It is noted that the production capacity of these mask filters is able to help Singapore achieve a stage of self-sufficiency in supply**.

To ensure sustainability of adequate supply, the government is also building a mask stockpile as a standby for any urgent distribution to the population. This stockpile will be restocked with supplies after being drawn down.

The success of the Singapore government’s inventions is evidenced by the current ample supply of affordable masks which is widely made available to the public.

Support from key sources [3]

*In her Facebook post, Mdm Ho wrote about how ST Engineering had troubles securing good quality melt-blown filters before deciding to order “custom-built” machines to make its own.

**The production capacity is adequate to meet full local requirements as it is able to supply everyone in Singapore at least 2 mask filters per week and each filter lasts for an average of about 3 days

Labour Market Situation in the Industry and Singapore as a Whole [4]
Due to the increase in demand for masks many companies have switched their manufacturing lines to producing masks in order to meet the demand. Due to masks being a healthcare product, only those who already have experience in the industry will be able to enter it quickly to meet the surging demand. Due to this, apart from pre-existing mask production companies scaling up the rest of the demand is mostly met by companies from similar other industries either converting their manufacturing line to produce masks or investing in a mask production line while making use of their connections and experience to streamline the process.
This means that not a lot of jobs are created since the conversion of manufacturing lines only protects the existing workforce.

Support from key info source: [4]
Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, and yarn manufacturer Parkdale Mills, which is supplying the raw material for the cotton masks. American Giant, a San Francisco-based brand that specializes in hoodies, T-shirts, and other casual apparel, has redirected its two North Carolina cut-and-sew plants to make masks full-time.
[4] note: Sources that talked directly about the labor market could not be found. My guess is that due to the workers losing jobs in other industries there is no shortage of workers to manufacture masks and since the mask production lines use many machines not enough jobs are created by its the up scaling of mask production for it to be reported on.

Government Measures: Ethical Inflation and Control of Prices of Surgical Masks in Singapore. [5]

Government Intervention in the surgical market as a whole is important in the surgical mask market or even the healthcare market as a whole.

There was a scarcity in the surgical mask market. Without government intervention of the surgical mask market under a mix economic system (veering towards command), the overall surgical mask price would have risen exponentially due to profit making driven businesses.

There is an ethical and moral issue in sellers inflating prices which would require government intervention to prevent such profiteering acts.

People need these masks and would have no choice but to purchase these masks, and the gross increase in price of surgical mask due to profiteering acts and capitalism would hurt people.

People need these kits yet, being profit driven encourages us to sell high cause of demand and scarcity of resources. There are people who need it yet they can't afford plus its so high in demand.

Government intervention to lock prices and costs down so everyone can afford it and make a push for resources to go towards healthcare such as Masks and test kits.

If masks had not been locked down and the government did not push for resources to be allocated towards mask making and test kit making, the prices will drive up and only those that are financially well off would be able to afford these essentials in this period of COVID-19!

Government intervention should be necessary in our economy only in markets that highly affect the health and livelihood of its citizens such as healthcare, housing, food resources (ingredients), water resources and electricity (basically utilities).

Not to control fully, but to ensure that prices are affordable and reasonable for the general public. And if there is a scarcity, ensure that enough resources are allocated towards these works!

Support from Key Info Source: [5]

TO prevent profiteering from surgical mask sales in the midst of Wuhan coronavirus worries, retailers and e-commerce platforms will be asked to cooperate with the authorities in tackling errant retailers, Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing told media on Thursday. He applauded platforms such as Carousell and Qoo10 for threatening to suspend profiteering sellers.

Warning letters will also be sent to retailers which are suspected of profiteering, he added: “They will give us an answer to what they are doing and why they are doing what they are doing.”

The government is also changing its method of mask distribution. While the national stockpile will be prioritised for healthcare workers, there will be a one-off distribution of masks to households.

In a media release on Thursday evening, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said the government's Price Controller has issued a letter of demand to retailer Deen Express, in response to public complaints of sellers selling surgical masks at "grossly inflated prices".

“Deen Express is to explain to the Price Controller the basis of their selling prices for the sale of masks, including their cost price and profit margins. MTI will use such information to assess the need for further action under the Price Control Act," said MTI.

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Singapore strengthening its resilience in terms of masks supply amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Singapore now able to produce filters for surgical masks, will be distributed to residents if needed

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-mask-filters-chan-chun-sing-covid-19-st-engineering-437916

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Mr Chan noted that there were some delays with the "circuit breaker" pushing back completion works at the factories, and credited the technical team from ST Engineering for overcoming these challenges.

Moving forward, production of the filters can be done on a "sustained basis" as long as Singapore can get hold of the raw materials - polypropylene pellets.

These are "quite easily available across the world" and the country has different sources to acquire them, including from some of the specialty chemical plants located on Jurong Island "in time to come", the minister said.

"That gives us greater assurance on the integrity and the sustainability of our supply chain."

When asked about the costs involved in developing this new capability, Mr Chan said he would keep it confidential due to commercial clauses in contracts with the machine suppliers.

"But having said that, it's an amount that I think is well worth spending."

NO NEED TO DISTRIBUTE FILTERS YET

Responding to a question on when the filters will be distributed to the public, Mr Chan said there is no need to for now.

"Because at this point in time, most of us are able to use the reusable mask and if everyone wears a reusable mask, it provides us the adequate protection necessary at this point in time," he said.

In the meantime, the Government will continue to build up its stockpile of the filter to ensure that it can roll out its distribution plan to the population if the need arises.

"We don't need to do this yet, but we are always thinking ahead because this is a very challenging point in time as the virus has mutated to many forms," he said.

"We want to be sure that we have in place the necessary materials in case we need to provide a higher protection level for our people."

With the population progressively getting their COVID-19 vaccines, Mr Chan was asked if there is a possibility that these filters will not be needed eventually and the capability developed will go to waste.

The minister disagreed, noting that even with the vaccination programme under way, there remains the need for people to wear masks and practise safe distancing measures as the pandemic continues.

He also said that the capability of producing these melt-blown filters will be crucial for the long term.

First, the knowledge of producing high-quality filters will be important in the event of future pandemics or other medical contingencies.

Second, such filtration capabilities will not be limited to mask-making and can be applied to other adjacent products, including water filters used by some industries.

"So this kind of investment in the filtration capabilities will allow us to branch out into new markets and new products, even if one day the demand for the mask is reduced," said Mr Chan.

"So, we don't think that it will be wasted. We think that in fact, it is a critical capability going forward, not just for medical, but also other industry use including water filtration."

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Singapore now able to produce filters for surgical masks, will be distributed to residents if needed

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SINGAPORE: Singapore is now able to produce melt-blown polypropylene filters - the critical fabric that forms the middle layer in surgical masks - as the country continues to beef up its resilience in terms of masks supply amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Developed by Singapore Technologies (ST) E

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Government Measures: Ethical Inflation and Control of Prices of Surgical Masks in Singapore.

Singapore retailers, e-commerce platforms asked to cooperate in stopping mask profiteering

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-retailers-e-commerce-platforms-asked-to-cooperate-in-stopping-mask

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"Profiteering is highly irresponsible and damaging in these uncertain times," MTI said. "We urge all retailers to practise corporate social responsibility and not take advantage of the increased demand to raise prices unreasonably."

"We will work closely with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) to monitor the situation and investigate any unfair and anti-competitive practices," the ministry added.

It also urged the public to report errant sellers to CASE.

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Retailer Deen Express asked to explain high prices for masks: MTI

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SINGAPORE: A letter of demand has been sent to retailer Deen Express after complaints from the public of masks being sold at high prices at its store.The Price Controller asked Deen Express to explain the "basis of their selling prices for the sale of masks, including their cost price and profit mar

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Labour Market Situation in the Industry and Singapore as a Whole

Factories that used to make perfume, T-shirts, and cars are now making supplies to fight the coronavirus

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/4/6/21207135/factories-face-masks-ventilators-hand-sanitizer-coronavirus-manufacturing

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This story is part of a group of stories called

In mid-March, amid mounting outcry over the critical shortages of masks, ventilators, and other medical supplies facing American hospitals fighting Covid-19, Jonathan Schwartz was one of the countless entrepreneurs scrambling to answer one question: How can we help?

Schwartz is a co-founder of Voodoo Manufacturing, a 3D printing company with two factories in Brooklyn, New York, including one that makes clear orthodontic aligners for companies like Smile Direct Club.

Because of that, the team already had experience getting clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make medical devices - but it still wasn't immediately clear where their resources were most urgently needed.

"There was just a lot of noise that we were trying to filter out," says Schwartz, recalling the cacophony of engineers, makers, and megacorporations jumping into the fray all at once.

Voodoo is part of a private-sector push that in recent weeks has mobilized fashion designers, automakers, distilleries, perfume producers, and others to repurpose their manufacturing lines to make health care products that traditional supply chains can't provide fast enough. A similar effort began in China in early February as the coronavirus swept through Wuhan and put hundreds of millions under lockdown: Factories that usually made sneakers and iPhones switched over to masks to meet the unprecedented demand.

The private sector is repurposing their manufacturing lines to make health care products

These initiatives are ongoing and have been expedited by a mandate from the Communist Party, according to Stanley Chao, managing director at All In Consulting, which helps Western companies do business in China. "The government is saying, 'Whatever you make, we will buy.' So you don't worry about the supply and demand issues," he said.

Today, the virus has become a global pandemic, and the countries with the most urgent needs don't have the manufacturing infrastructure or labor pool that has made China the "world's factory." Even in the US - where Detroit automakers famously churned out military aircraft, artillery, and tanks in World War II in their efforts to "outbuild Hitler" - companies have run into hurdles as they've tried to scale up.

For one, while state and local governments have welcomed the assistance - and President Donald Trump has begun attacking companies who don't produce fast enough - most of the work is still being coordinated from the ground up. Absent any central resources for private companies to find out what's most needed and what the government itself will commit to buying, many have resorted to researching online, cold-calling medical institutions, and tracking down personal protective equipment (PPE) through their own supplier networks abroad (in some cases inadvertently driving up prices by outbidding other offers).

While the US saw its first confirmed case of Covid-19 on January 21, and the WHO warned about global shortages of PPE in early February, the Trump administration dragged its heels in invoking a federal act that would compel American companies to manufacture more medical equipment to fill the gaps in the supply chain. The Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950 can compel companies to prioritize orders from the federal government, and while Trump announced he had signed it on March 18, he said he only did so "should we need to invoke it in a worst-case scenario in the future."

Apart from a somewhat confusing invocation just over a week later - ordering General Motors to go forward with a plan it had already announced - the administration's first announcement that it would use these powers came on April 2 when it said it would work to procure 100,000 ventilators by the end of June along with tens of millions of PPE units.

Throughout the third week of March, Voodoo talked to dozens of doctors, health care organizations, and hospital procurement teams, eventually settling on protective face shields as the device it could produce quickly and safely at scale.

Face shields are typically worn in conjunction with N95 respirators or surgical masks, and like other forms of PPE, inventories are so limited at some hospitals that doctors have been forced to fashion their own using office supplies.

For a company like Voodoo, though, the product is fairly simple: a 3D-printed headband, interchangeable plastic sheeting, a foam pad for comfort, and elastic to help secure it to the wearer's head.

"We're really here trying to just act as a stop-gap to get these urgently needed supplies to hospitals"

"We can go from just a design file to the first 500 units in a single day, and so we're really here trying to just act as a stop-gap to get these urgently needed supplies to hospitals so they can start ramping up their care of patients," says Schwartz, acknowledging that major medical equipment suppliers will ultimately need to step in to provide long-term scale. For now, the company is producing 2,500 units per week and has set up a Shopify site - CombatingCovid.com - to sell directly to health care institutions.

Typically, hospitals don't shop for medical equipment the same way the rest of us shop for leggings or mattresses, but these are extraordinary times.

As the coronavirus crisis has progressed in the US, doctors and nurses across the country have raised alarms about dwindling supplies of PPE. The shortfall not only puts front-line workers at risk of infection, it may also limit testing capacity (because someone wearing PPE is generally required to administer the tests) and reduce the number of doctors attending to patients at the most critical moments.

Similarly urgent is the need for ventilators, the machines that help the sickest Covid-19 patients breathe when they can't do so on their own; too few, and doctors could be faced with the same horrifying triage scenarios as in Italy, where doctors had to decide which of their patients would be hooked up to the lifesaving equipment based on their odds of survival.

To help prevent the spread of the coronavirus so hospitals don't become even more overwhelmed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using hand sanitizer if soap and water aren't available. A ready supply is needed to protect essential workers like grocery store clerks, delivery drivers, and warehouse workers, but many have complained they don't have access to it since it has been sold out almost everywhere since February.

With work slowing to a trickle across much of the economy due to store and restaurant closures, grounded flights, and supplier delays, American companies aren't just motivated to help fight the virus - they also want to keep their teams employed if they can do so safely. Here's how some are pitching in:

Fashion brands are sewing face masks and medical gowns

With the coronavirus battering the fashion capitals of Milan, New York, and Los Angeles, the industry has enlisted an army of seamstresses to come to their defense.

On March 20, designer Christian Siriano tweeted to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to offer the services of his 10-person atelier to make face masks for local health care workers. A week later, he delivered a box of 1,000 washable cotton-blend masks to front-line workers at a temporary medical center at the Javits Center in Manhattan, and the team has made thousands more in the days since.

Siriano's masks aren't medical-grade, but they can be worn by nonclinical workers to free up supplies or over tight-fitting medical-grade N95 masks to extend their life - a tactic some institutions have instructed doctors and nurses to use in order to help conserve supplies.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services' own estimates, the US would need as many as 3.5 billion N95 face masks over the course of a year fighting a "full-blown" pandemic. At the outset of the coronavirus crisis, the country's emergency stockpile held about 1 percent of that: 12 million N95 masks, which filter out at least 95 percent of all airborne particles when worn correctly, and 30 million surgical masks, which are looser-fitting and provide a physical barrier against large droplets, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar testified on March 3.

In part because of this scarcity, the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC for months advised that healthy people need only wear masks if they're caring for someone infected with the virus, despite evidence of the effectiveness of even homemade masks at helping reduce the risk of transmission. Because even asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic carriers are thought to be able to spread the coronavirus and the US has been plagued with months of testing delays, many people could well have put others at risk while believing that they themselves were healthy.

On April 3, the CDC updated its guidance with the recommendation that Americans wear "cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain," such as grocery stores or pharmacies, particularly in areas with significant community transmission. It clarified that N95 respirators and surgical masks should not be worn so as to conserve supplies for health care workers. (In its guidance for health care workers, the CDC says coverings like scarves and bandanas should be considered a "last resort" after respirators, surgical masks, and non-FDA-regulated face masks.) At a press conference announcing the new guidance, President Trump made clear that it is voluntary and said that he would not be complying: "You can do it. You don't have to do it. I'm choosing not to do it."

Initiatives like Siriano's have sprung up throughout the industry: Fellow Project Runway alum Michael Costello has made more than 4,500 masks so far - some cotton-blend, some with HEPA filters, and some medical-grade, thanks to a fabric donation from a surgeon friend - funded by donations and mask purchases. For Days, a closed-loop T-shirt line, has dedicated its sewing capacity to making 10 masks for every purchase on its site. OESH Shoes, a Charlottesville, Virginia-based brand, is 3D printing flexible masks and mask adjusters based on insight from co-founder Casey Kerrigan's experience as an MD.

Apparel companies with scalable US-based supply chains are a vanishingly rare group these days, but a coalition of them is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy to produce up to 10 million face masks per week in domestic and Central American plants.

The group includes Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, and yarn manufacturer Parkdale Mills, which is supplying the raw material for the cotton masks. American Giant, a San Francisco-based brand that specializes in hoodies, T-shirts, and other casual apparel, has redirected its two North Carolina cut-and-sew plants to make masks full-time.

Separately, Brooks Brothers has committed to producing 150,000 masks a day as well as gowns for health care workers at its plants in New York, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. Nordstrom, the country's largest employer of tailors, is working with its partner Kaas Tailored and health care network Providence Health & Services to sew more than 100,000 masks made from surplus surgical wrap.

In Los Angeles, former American Apparel chief Dov Charney is hiring sewers, forklift operators, and other warehouse workers to help produce and distribute hundreds of thousands of masks and gowns for FEMA and other organizations. His new brand, Los Angeles Apparel, is selling three-packs of cotton-terry masks online for $30 to support the cost of labor, operations, and donations of masks to hospitals and first responders.

LA's garment industry is focusing its efforts on non-medical masks through a program called L.A. Protects. Conducted by the mayor's office in partnership with millennial-favorite brand Reformation and health care company Kaiser Permanente, it aims to provide 5 million masks to front-line workers like delivery drivers, grocery store clerks, and non-clinical health care staff.

Other countries are also seeing corporations and small brands work in tandem: In Italy, Prada and Gucci are manufacturing masks alongside family-owned facilities like the Everyn Calzaturificio factory, which produces shoes for luxury footwear brands like Nomasei.

The few American brands that have managed to procure medical-grade masks have done so mostly through their suppliers in China, where half of the world's masks were produced before the crisis and where mask manufacturing has accelerated nearly twelvefold since, according to the New York Times. Even there, N95 masks account for less than 2 percent of daily mask production due to a shortage of melt-blown fabric, one of the key materials needed to make them. The ultra-fine particle-blocking material is made using expensive, highly specialized machines, so companies haven't been able to simply pivot to producing it even as global demand has skyrocketed.

On March 21, luxury group LVMH announced plans to secure 40 million surgical masks and FFP2 respirators (the European equivalent of N95 masks) to help France fight Covid-19. Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault funded the first delivery of 10 million masks at a cost of 5 million euros ($5.4 million), while the government is expected to finance the remaining shipments over the coming weeks.

Eddie Bauer is importing 20,000 masks, including 5,000 N95s, for donation to the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services, after some of the brand's suppliers of technical outerwear pivoted to PPE.

Eugenia Kim, a New York-based designer of luxury hats and accessories, says she taught herself how to import masks in six days after seeing Cuomo's call for aid and witnessing what her sister and father were experiencing as doctors on the front lines. Her hat factories in China, she says, "had previously been reaching out about mask production and I realized I could help the cause." The facilities can produce between 10,000-50,000 units per day of N95 masks, surgical masks, and other PPE, and Kim is working with hospitals and government agencies to arrange direct shipments.

Booze, hemp, and perfume brands are getting into the hand sanitizer biz

The great Purell shortage of 2020 is still well underway, but other industries with access to hand sanitizer's key ingredient - alcohol - are doing their best to fill in the gaps.

Morgan McLachlan, co-founder and chief product officer at LA distillery Amass, says she first started making the label's "alcohol-based botanic hand wash" at the beginning of March when she couldn't find any hand sanitizer in stores or online. Initially, it was just to protect herself and her friends and family, but as more and more people caught wind of the idea, it became something much bigger.

"We were going to have our people give it out to all of our accounts as a friendly thing to do to keep all of the service staff safe," she recalls. "Well, bars and restaurants got shut down. But we're getting orders from across the country now."

The craft-distillery price tag - $38 for a 16 ounce bottle, with 10 percent going to the US Bartenders Guild Emergency Assistance Program, compared with $2.50 for a 10 ounce bottle of Purell, pre-price-gouging - hasn't deterred customers, nor has the 10- to 14-day wait for shipping (a result, in part, of delays from packaging suppliers). On top of its direct-to-consumer sales, the distillery is also working with public health agencies to distribute the sanitizer more broadly.

"I think we all have our desert island skills," she says. "As distillers, we're usually creating little quotidian pleasures to help people get through the day - but now we're keeping people safe."

Some of the biggest liquor companies in the world have since taken a similar attitude: Diageo, whose brands include Smirnoff and Tanqueray, is donating up to 2 million liters of ethyl alcohol to hand sanitizer manufacturers, while the vodka maker Tito's said it would produce 24 tons of its own hand sanitizer to give away to first responders and other front-line workers. (Initially, the Texas brand was forced to caution the public that its vodka didn't meet the 60 percent alcohol threshold required by the CDC to make hand sanitizer after frustrated shoppers began formulating their own at home.)

Uncle Bud's, a hemp-based personal care line, was already in the process of creating its hand sanitizer when the coronavirus outbreak arrived on its doorstep. The shortage convinced the team to push the October launch date up to March, which meant sidelining other projects and shifting manufacturing lines to make millions of units of hand sanitizer, all while scaling up the company's online business as more and more of its retail partners closed stores.

"Being a smaller company, we were able to pivot quickly and fast-track finalizing formulation and production," says co-founder Bruno Schiavi. The sanitizer launched online on March 23, selling for $9.99 per 8 ounce bottle.

Perfume producers, another major alcohol consumer, have also joined the fight: On March 16, LVMH began producing and delivering free hand sanitizer to French health authorities and hospitals, using the production lines that typically manufacture fragrance for Dior, Givenchy, and Guerlain. The luxury conglomerate pulled from its reserves of purified water, ethanol, and glycerine to create the sanitizing gel and bottled it in the same plastic dispensers used for Dior hand soap, getting the initiative up and running within 72 hours.

L'Oréal is distributing millions of bottles of hand sanitizer throughout Europe through two of its brands: La Roche-Posay is heading the initiative for hospitals, nursing homes, and partner pharmacies, and Garnier is doing the same for its food distribution clients so grocery workers can be protected on the job.

Stateside, the Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has pledged to reopen a factory in Long Island, New York, to manufacture and donate 10,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to its home state every week. Coty Inc. - which makes fragrances for brands like Marc Jacobs and Gucci - likewise said it plans to donate tens of thousands of units per week, including through a partnership with Kris and Kylie Jenner. Coty, which recently bought a majority stake in Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin, plans to distribute the hand sanitizer to health care workers and first responders in Southern California.

As companies have rushed to get sanitizing products out the door, US agencies have eased some of the regulations around them: On March 27, the FDA updated its policies to allow producers of fuel ethanol to sell the product to hand sanitizer manufacturers provided it meets certain standards of purity. Prices of the ingredients typically used in hand sanitizer - either isopropyl alcohol or ethanol for food and drug manufacturing - shot up in March due to the surge in demand.

The Trump administration's $2 trillion stimulus package also includes a temporary exemption for excise taxes on alcohol used to produce hand sanitizer during the course of the Covid-19 crisis.

Car companies are shifting production to ventilators

Even before Covid-19 was declared a national emergency in the US on March 13, ventilator manufacturers around the world were ramping up production to meet the escalating demand. Even at maximum capacity, though, they haven't been able to keep up with health care needs caused by the rapidly spreading respiratory illness.

To help move the needle, American automakers have stepped in to offer their support. General Motors is working with Ventec Life Systems, a Seattle-area manufacturer that typically makes about 200 ventilators per month. On its own, Ventec expected to be able to increase production to 1,000 units per month, but with the help of GM, it has been able to source enough of the 700 components that go into the device to increase its capacity tenfold, according to the New York Times.

Ford, too, announced on March 30 that it is partnering with General Electric's health care division to produce ventilators based on a "simplified" design licensed from Florida-based Airon Corp. The car company will reopen one of its plants in Ypsilanti, Michigan, to produce the devices beginning the week of April 20.

Ford expects to be able to deliver 1,500 new ventilators by the end of April, 12,000 by the end of May, and 50,000 by July

Even working around the clock, both of these initiatives will take time, however. Ford expects to be able to deliver 1,500 new ventilators by the end of April, 12,000 by the end of May, and 50,000 by July, ramping up to a capacity of 30,000 per month. Once they've finished overhauling a GM electrical components facility in Kokomo, Indiana, and training 1,000 workers, Ventec and GM expect to produce more than 10,000 units per month, with "hundreds" shipping by the end of April, according to The Verge.

Prior to the coronavirus crisis, the US had around 170,000 ventilators available for patient use spread among hospitals, smaller health care facilities, and the national emergency stockpile, according to a February report from the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. While that number is normally more than enough to serve the population, the report's authors found that "the need for ventilation services during a severe pandemic could quickly overwhelm these day-to-day operational capabilities."

Despite this, the federal government has waffled on its commitment to obtaining more ventilators, delaying the current production efforts.

As recently as March 26, President Trump questioned the need for more of the devices on Sean Hannity's Fox News show. "I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they're going to be," he said. "I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators." (New York state, Gov. Cuomo has said, will need a minimum of 30,000 to deal with the crisis.)

The next day, Trump changed course, berating GM on Twitter for charging "top dollar" and not working fast enough to produce the ventilators, though the company had announced its partnership with Ventec just hours earlier and said it would sell the items at cost.

The administration said it would invoke the DPA to require the automaker to prioritize the government's ventilator orders. As of March 30, the federal government still hadn't indicated how many ventilators it planned to buy or what price it was willing to pay, according to the Times, though at a news conference the day prior, Trump changed his tune again. "General Motors is doing a fantastic job," he said. "I don't think we have to worry about General Motors now."

Tesla, too, is chipping in, despite CEO Elon Musk's tweets downplaying the severity of the pandemic. The company has donated more than 1,200 ventilators to the city of Los Angeles and hundreds more to New York City, shipping surplus stock from China while it works to establish production lines to manufacture more at several of its US plants.

3D printers and sportswear brands are manufacturing face shields

Schwartz and the Voodoo Manufacturing team aren't the only ones that have latched onto the idea of face shields: Nike is prototyping a design in partnership with Oregon Health & Science University in the company's home state, and according to a recent earnings call, its innovation and manufacturing teams are working on other PPE concepts for further down the road.

With the NHL season on hold, hockey equipment manufacturer Bauer has also shifted to face shields, effectively switching one type of protective gear for another. At its factories in upstate New York and Quebec, Canada, it began producing 20,000 to 25,000 units per week in late March, and it plans to rapidly scale up in order to fulfill orders for 2.5 million by the end of May.

It has also posted the product's specs online, and so far, at least one other hockey company has joined in the effort. Bauer's face shields cost about $3 each including shipping, which covers the cost of raw materials and overhead; it says it does not expect to make a profit on the sales.

At its own 3D printing and manufacturing facility in Nashville, Tennessee, Smile Direct Club has produced thousands of face shields for customers including St. Luke's Boise Medical Center in Idaho and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. It's also working to prototype respirator masks and nasopharyngeal testing swabs. The crisis has mobilized all corners of the 3D printing community, from the thousands of engineers and hobbyists organizing in private Slack groups to Carbon, the multibillion-dollar company that makes 3D printers for brands like Adidas and Johnson & Johnson.

Sign up for The Goods' newsletter. Twice a week, we'll send you the best Goods stories exploring what we buy, why we buy it, and why it matters.

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Factories that used to make perfume, T-shirts, and cars are now making supplies to fight the coronavirus

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This story is part of a group of stories called In mid-March, amid mounting outcry over the critical shortages of masks, ventilators, and other medical supplies facing American hospitals fighting Covid-19, Jonathan Schwartz was one of the countless entrepreneurs scrambling to answer one question: How can we help?

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General Price Level Situation in Singapore (Demand-Pull Inflation)

Coronavirus: Govt cracks down on mask profiteers, retailer Deen Express queried on alleged inflated prices.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/govts-price-controller-requests-store-at-313somerset-to-explain-alleged-inflated-mask

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SINGAPORE - The authorities are cracking down on profiteers, following complaints that some businesses and individuals have been selling face masks for grossly inflated prices amid a surge in demand.

The Government's Price Controller on Thursday (Jan 30) asked a retailer at 313 @ Somerset mall to explain the basis for the selling prices of its masks, giving it until next Monday to respond.

A packet of 10 surgical masks usually costs around $5 and 20 N95 masks cost about $40. But the masks sold at the Orchard Road store, Deen Express, are alleged to cost much more.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in a statement that a letter of demand was issued to the retailer and it must provide information such as its cost price and profit margins or face a fine, though it did not state how much the shop had been selling masks for. Deen Express could not be reached for comment.

Letters of demand have also been sent to e-commerce platforms Lazada, Carousell and Qoo10 to request information on any potential profiteers on their platforms, MTI said.

If they do not comply, they can be fined up to $10,000 for the first offence, and up to $20,000 for the second and subsequent offences.

"Profiteering is highly irresponsible and damaging in these uncertain times," the ministry said.

MTI will work closely with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore to monitor the situation and investigate any unfair and anti-competitive practices.

Consumers can report any errant sellers to Case by calling 6100-0315.

Surgical and N95 masks have become highly sought after in recent weeks as the Wuhan virus - which has killed 170 people and infected more than 7,000 people in China - has prompted consumers to clear shops of products used to prevent its spread.

Singapore's Ministry of Health also announced on Thursday night that the Republic has three more confirmed cases of people down with the virus. All are Chinese nationals from Wuhan in China.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Singapore to 13.

Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said at a briefing on Thursday that those seeking to take advantage of the situation would be taken to task.

He also urged consumers not to support or give in to profiteers.

"We do have our means to provide the necessary supplies to Singaporeans," he said.

E-commerce platforms said they will cooperate with the authorities and remove listings if necessary. The online marketplaces said that while they do not regulate prices, they will ensure that sellers do not hike prices of products used as preventative measures against the Wuhan virus to "unreasonable" levels.

Qoo10, which removed a listing on Wednesday for 30 "anti-coronavirus" masks advertised at $10,000, said on Thursday that it will not tolerate merchants who attempt to capitalise and profit from the general public's worry and panic.

"Merchants engaging in any behaviour we suspect to be unethical may face temporary suspension while we further investigate their intentions," said general manager Sam Too.

Those who do not offer their products at prices that are reasonable in the light of prevailing market conditions, or maintain a delivery standard of three to five days, may also face penalties, such as not being eligible to be listed on Qoo10's bestsellers page, said Mr Too.

To help meet high demand for face masks, Qoo10 is encouraging overseas merchants to make more stock available here, as well as directly sourcing and purchasing masks to add to Singapore's supply, he said.

Carousell's vice president of operations Su Lin Tan said sellers listing unreasonable prices will be asked to review them or face being taken down.

The platform is also curating a collection of reasonably-priced items, she said.

Lazada said it has internal measures in place to ensure that sellers maintain reasonable prices for essential items such as face masks and hand sanitisers.

Shopee said that it does not tolerate profiteering or unreasonable price hikes from its sellers, and will keep prices at reasonable levels.

The site has been encouraging its sellers to list at least 1,000 surgical masks to receive incentives such as a free flash deal slot, according to an advertisement seen by The Straits Times.

A spokesman said that the initiative is aimed at providing users an avenue to obtain an ample supply of products.

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Coronavirus: Govt cracks down on mask profiteers, retailer Deen Express queried on alleged inflated prices

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SINGAPORE - The authorities are cracking down on profiteers, following complaints that some businesses and individuals have been selling face masks for grossly inflated prices amid a surge in demand. The Government's Price Controller on Thursday (Jan 30) asked a retailer at 313 @ Somerset mall to explain the basis for the selling prices of its masks, giving it until next Monday to respond.

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Singapore:

Performance and Outlook of the Manufacturing Sector in 2020

Singapore’s manufacturing sector grew by 3.5 per cent year-on-year (yoy) in 1H20, supported by output expansions in the biomedical manufacturing and precision engineering clusters.
https://www.mti.gov.sg/Resources/feature-articles/2020/Performance-and-Outlook-of-the-Manufacturing-Sector-in-2020

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MACROECONOMIC PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS

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determine claim, credibility & affirmation. Supported by certification

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https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/consumer/surge-in-buying-of-face-masks-in-singapore-continues-some-manufacturers-plan-to-lower

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https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/the-face-mask-global-value-chain-in-the-covid-19-outbreak-evidence-and-policy-lessons-a4df866d/

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The face mask global value chain in the COVID-19 outbreak: Evidence and policy lessons

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This note provides information on the global value chain for the production of surgical masks and N95 respirators in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. It analyses the causes of the current shortage of these key medical supplies needed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and reviews some short-te…

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https://www.concordiashanghai.org/citizenc/citizenc-post-detail/~board/the-current/post/the-upward-trend-in-medical-mask-prices-is-there-room-for-ethics-in-economics

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404 - Page Not Found - Concordia International School Shanghai Jinqiao, China

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404 - Page Not Found - Concordia International School Shanghai offers programs from preschool to grade 12. Click here to learn more about our programs.

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Market structure - Monopolistic competition

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Market structure - Monopolistic competition

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Market structure - Monopolistic competition
Differentiate (characteristic)
- Design
- Colour (season)
- Delivery
- Price
-Location (Distribution)
- Quality (Assurance) ISO/HSA

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One Compliment:
Our group is very united and able to communicate, not afraid to voice opinions or thinkings, able to adjust to each other and agree on things at the end of the day.

One Area of Improvement:
I think for our team, we completed a day before the dateline and met multiple times before submission. However we could come in prepared with research done so we spend more time on writing.

One Interesting Fact Learnt During Preliminary Analysis:
I did not know that people can go to jail for not wearing a mask, I only thought that people will get fined.

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Compliment:
I think our team was able to create and organize the Padlet with ease, efficiently finding more than enough sources for stage 1. Lets continue the good work and work towards a high grade for this module.

Area of improvement:
I feel that 1 way we can maximize our potential is to gather our sources before discussing together so that we can use that time to

Interesting Fact:
Turns out wearing a face mask does not definitively guarantee that you won't contract or transmit COVID19.

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I liked how we are doing our best to be on target. I think that next time, we could have completed earlier if we had done it earlier.

One interesting fact that I learnt about masks is that there are over 30 licensed manufacturers in Singapore

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Ni Hao team!! I really like how we are always working as a team and inclusive in discussions. Lets keep on fighting to get that A :D

I think an area of improvement could be our division of labour. If we work on this I believe we may be able to complete our goals more efficiently and effectively!!

An interesting fact I learnt is that masks actually filter out air to protect the user :O

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My teammates are very friendly and nice. Made the project enjoyable to do.

But one of them was nice but kept saying he was going crazy which also made me almost go crazy.

I learnt that N95 masks dont filter out droplets

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https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/consumer/surge-in-buying-of-face-masks-in-singapore-continues-some-manufacturers-plan-to-lower

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/spore-can-now-produce-its-own-mask-filters-a-move-to-ensure-sufficient-mask

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/consumer/surge-in-buying-of-face-masks-in-singapore-continues-some-manufacturers-plan-to-lower

https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-smes-branch-out-into-mask-manufacturing-as-new-revenue-source

https://www.concordiashanghai.org/citizenc/citizenc-post-detail/~board/the-current/post/the-upward-trend-in-medical-mask-prices-is-there-room-for-ethics-in-economics

https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/regulatory-updates/list-of-surgical-masks-manufactured-by-local-licensed-manufacturers

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/meca.12334

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/govts-price-controller-requests-store-at-313somerset-to-explain-alleged-inflated-mask

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Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic Projected to Boost Sales in Surgical Masks Market, States TMR

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-projected-to-boost-sales-in-surgical-masks-market-states-tmr-301228193.html

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ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Surgical masks are gaining traction across the globe and are used by various end-users including hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, clinics, and academic and research centers. There are different types of surgical masks such as N95 masks, anti-fog surgical masks, basic surgical masks, fluid/splash-resistant surgical masks, and other surgical masks including high barrier masks. These products are manufactured using various types of materials including polypropylene and cellulose.
Analysts at TMR are of the opinion that the global surgical masks market will expand at 12% CAGR during the forecast period 2021-2030. Towering cases of COVID-19 infection is fueling tremendous sales opportunities in the market. Request for Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Surgical Masks Market - Surgical Masks Market: Major Takeaways https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/covid19.php Explore 249 pages of superlative research, current market scenario, and extensive geographical projections. Gain insights into the Surgical Masks Market (Product: Basic Surgical Masks, Anti-fog Surgical Masks, Fluid/Splash Resistant Surgical Masks, N95 Masks, and Others; Material: Cellulose, Polypropylene, and Others; Type: Disposable and Reusable; Surgical Masks: Tie-on, Ear-loop, and Others; Protection Type: High Barrier, Moderate Barrier, and Low Barrier; and End User: Hospitals, Diagnostic Laboratories, Clinics, Academic & Research Centers, and Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2021-2030 at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/67823 Surgical Masks Market: Growth Boosters

Owing to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare professionals across the globe are growing the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including surgical masks. On the grounds of this scenario, the global surgical masks market is expected to gain promising expansion avenues in the years ahead.

Major players in the global surgical masks market are growing focus on increasing their sales. They are offering disposable as well as reusable masks as per the need for major population from all across the globe. Apart from this, several enterprises are boosting their production capabilities to fulfill the present market demand. Moving forward, several enterprises in the global surgical masks market are focused on advancing their products. As a result, they are using innovative materials while manufacturing their products.

The global surgical masks market is expected to demonstrate prodigious expansion rate during assessment period 2021 to 2030. This growth can be attributed to towering cases of COVID-19 patients in all worldwide locations.

Surgical masks are also known as medical masks, face masks, procedure masks. These products are mainly used by healthcare professionals while performing medical procedures or surgeries. In recent few years, the healthcare sector is experiencing considerable growth in the number of surgical procedures performed per day in all worldwide locations. Owing to this scenario, there is noteworthy growth in the demand for surgical face masks, which is driving the sales of global surgical face masks market.

Request Brochure of Surgical Masks Market Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/brochure.php
Purchase the Surgical Masks Market Report - Surgical Masks Market: Well-Established Participants https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php

In recent few decades, the world is experiencing remarkable rise in air pollution levels. As a result, major population from all across the globe is growing use of N95 masks or respirators, which are known for offering superior protection against airborne viruses and bacteria as well as particulate matter. This scenario is creating promising demand opportunities for surgical mask manufacturers.

Generally, older population seems to be more susceptible to various types of infectious diseases. Thus, increased older population in all worldwide locations has resulted into promising sales opportunities in the market. Apart from this, increase in instances of respiratory diseases in all worldwide locations is foreseen to boost the sales of surgical masks in the years ahead.

Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global N95 Masks Market: Respiratory Antiviral Treatment Market: About Us https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/respiratory-antiviral-treatment-market.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/n95-masks-market.html Healthcare Industry: Contact
Some of the important surgical masks market players are:

Ansell Limited

Henry Schein, Inc.

Honeywell International, Inc.

Medline Industries, Inc.

Kimberly Clark Corporation

AlphaProTech

Cardinal Health

Makrite

Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals.

Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.

TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision."

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Transparency Market Research
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Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/surgical-masks-market.htm
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SOURCE Transparency Market Research

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Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic Projected to Boost Sales in Surgical Masks Market, States TMR

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ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Surgical masks are gaining traction across the globe and are used by various end-users including hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, clinics, and academic and research centers. There are different types of surgical masks such as N95 masks, anti-fog surgical masks, basic surgical masks, fluid/splash-resistant surgical masks, and other surgical masks including high barrier masks.

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Production volume of N95 masks by 3M worldwide from 2019 to 2021https://www.statista.com/statistics/1232566/global-n95-mask-production-of-3m/

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3M: N95 mask production worldwide 2019-2021 | Statista

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3M’s total production of N95 masks in 2020 amounted to approximately two billion units worldwide.

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[1] Health Sciences Authority. (2021, June 2). List of Surgical Masks Manufactured by Local Licensed Manufacturers. HSA. Retrieved November 14, 2021, from https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/regulatory-updates/list-of-surgical-masks-manufactured-by-local-licensed-manufacturers

[2] ChannelNewsAsia [CNA]. (2020, April 15). Demand for masks soars in Singapore as authorities introduce tighter circuit breaker measures [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxyhEmXB3k8

[3] Transparency Market Research. (2021, February 15). Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic Projected to Boost Sales in Surgical Masks Market, States TMR. PR Newswire. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ongoing-covid-19-pandemic-projected-to-boost-sales-in-surgical-masks-market-states-tmr-301228193.html

[4] Statista. (2021, July 6). 3M's N95 mask production worldwide 2019–2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1232566/global-n95-mask-production-of-3m/

[5] Immigration & Checkpoints Authority Singapore. (2021, July 30). Media Release Detail. ICA. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.ica.gov.sg/news-and-publications/newsroom/media-release/singaporean-woman-to-be-charged-for-exposing-others-to-the-risk-of-covid-19-infection-and-failing-to-wear-a-mask

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Demand for masks spikes as authorities introduce tighter measures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxyhEmXB3k8

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Demand for masks soars in Singapore as authorities introduce tighter circuit breaker measures

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List of Surgical Mask Manufactured Local Licensed Manufacturers
https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/regulatory-updates/list-of-surgical-masks-manufactured-by-local-licensed-manufacturers

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Medical and surgical masks manufactured by HSA-licensed local manufacturers that meet 95% Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) based on EN 14683 / ASTM F2100 (non-exhaustive) are listed in the table below.
This list is updated as at 23 September 2021.

Consumer, Healthcare professional, Industry member, Medical devices

Regulatory Updates

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List of Surgical Masks Manufactured by Local Licensed Manufacturers

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Medical and surgical masks manufactured by HSA-licensed local manufacturers that meet 95% Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) based on EN 14683 / ASTM F2100 (non-exhaustive) are listed in the table below. This list is updated as at 23 September 2021. Consumer, Healthcare professional, Industry member, Medical devices Regulatory Updates

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Singaporean Woman To Be Charged For Exposing Others To The Risk Of COVID-19 Infection And Failing To Wear A Mask
https://www.ica.gov.sg/news-and-publications/newsroom/media-release/singaporean-woman-to-be-charged-for-exposing-others-to-the-risk-of-covid-19-infection-and-failing-to-wear-a-mask

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A 39-year old Singaporean woman, Jin Chensu ("Jin"), will be charged in court on 30 July 2021 for exposing others to the risk of COVID-19 infection under the Infectious Diseases Act and for failing to wear a mask outside her place of residence under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

2. On 4 October 2020, Jin arrived in Singapore from Cambodia and was served with a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) from 4 to 18 October 2020. She was briefed by an Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer that she was required to serve her 14-day SHN at a dedicated facility and was not allowed to leave her room in the dedicated facility for the duration of her SHN. She was subsequently brought to a hotel in Sentosa after immigration clearance.

3. On 6 October 2020, Jin allegedly left her room without wearing a mask, climbed up to the balcony of another room, and remained there for about five minutes before climbing down to the balcony of her room.

4. On 9 October 2020, Jin allegedly left her room without wearing a mask again. She allegedly loitered along the common corridor until she was discovered by the hotel staff about 25 minutes later and was escorted back to her room.

5. Strict compliance with SHN requirements is key to safeguarding the health and safety of our population. Those who fail to comply with SHN requirements will be liable to prosecution under the Infectious Diseases Act and/or the Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 - Stay Orders) Regulations 2020. The offence carries a penalty of a fine of up to S$10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to six months.

6. Individuals who are found not wearing a mask or not wearing a mask properly outside their place of residence shall be liable to prosecution under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020. The offence carries a penalty of a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to six months.

7. Members of the public can report information about anyone who fails to comply with SHN requirements to ICA at go.gov.sg/reportshnbreach or call 6812 5555.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
30 JULY 2021

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Singaporean Woman To Be Charged For Exposing Others To The Risk Of COVID-19 Infection And Failing To Wear A Mask

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A 39-year old Singaporean woman, Jin Chensu ("Jin"), will be charged in court on 30 July 2021 for exposing others to the risk of COVID-19 infection under the Infectious Diseases Act and for failing to wear a mask outside her place of residence under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

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Product: Surgical mask
Market Industry: Surgical mask industry

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Microeconomics Prelim Analysis [Based on 5 key sources of Information]

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Microeconomics Prelim Analysis [Based on 5 key sources of Information]

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1.1. Market Structure of Surgical Mask Industry:  Monopolistic competition
- High Number of Sellers
Support from Key Sources: [1]
- Surgical Masks Manufactured by Local Licensed Manufacturers - Total of 32 official HSA Licensed Local Manufacturers in Singapore.
--------------------------------------------------------------
- low product uniformity
Support:
- Varied colour of mask
- Design of mask (Eg: Strap)
- Method of sales (Online, physical store)
- Quality

2. Price Elasticity of Demand of Surgical Mask: Price Inelastic
Currently, Surgical Mask is a necessary product in Singapore.
- As a necessity, even if prices were to rise, the target market would most likely still need to buy the product.
- This means that buyers are less sensitive to price changes and the demand is less responsive to price changes causing the demand of surgical mask to be price inelastic.

Support from Key Info Source:  [5]
- Individuals who are found not wearing a mask or not wearing a mask properly outside their place of residence shall be liable to prosecution under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.
- The offence carries a penalty of a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to six months, showing the need to obtain these masks.

3. Applicable Demand Determinants
- Number of Buyers
- Expectation of Buyers
Support from Key Sources: [2]
- Demand for masks has soared, a day after the authorities made it mandatory for most people to wear one when outdoors. Some stores have reported running out of stock just a few hours after opening. Vanessa Lim reports.
- Government ruling on mandatory mask wearing results in a large buyer population increase, resulting in demand spike.
Support from Key Info Source: [4]
- With the start of Covid-19 in 2020:
The global demand for N95 masks skyrocketed since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began in 2020. More and more people are buying surgical masks due to the expectation of Covid lasting to the foreseeable future
- A great expectation for the need of mask in the future results in demand increment.

4. Applicable Supply Determinants
- Expectation of Sellers
- Number of Sellers
Elaboration
The suppliers expected a greater demand and thus, to keep up with demand and make good use of the opportunity to earn greater profits increase the supply.
Support from Key Sources: [3]
- As a result, an example would be 3M, as their production of masks increased by 297% from 0.63 to 2.5 billions to meet the increasing demand.
- Most mask sellers believe that the mask industry has more space to expand and grow, thus they are trying to advance their products and utilize innovative materials. This results in more supply of masks for the consumers
Support from Key Sources: [1]
- The number of mask sellers have increased up to 32 in Singapore from 2018.
- Number of mask sellers increase resulting in total output / supply to increase.

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MICROECONOMIC PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS