Coronavirus: Improvisation the mantra for boosting protective gear supply

India is in dire need of protective gear for its health care professionals, caregivers, personnel working in essential services apart from the common person who is also wearing protection

A nanotechnology start-up that makes ‘smart clothing’ is now making protective masks. A Baddi-based topical ointment maker, Marine Lifesciences, is also making sanitizers at its plant now. 

As Covid-19 outbreak spreads, India is in dire need of protective gear for its health care professionals, apart from the common man. In a country of 1.3 billion, the demand is huge. India has enough installed capacity, and at normal times, most of it is lying idle. But given the unforeseen demand, the industry and government are working round the clock to ensure industrial units that can improvise to make protective gear do so.