With the new coronavirus dominating news topics across all industries, misinformation about the virus and its impacts is essentially everywhere. The National Association of Wholesalers-Distributors (NAW) released a statement Tuesday pointing its audience to proper information resources, and is asking for input on what impact the coronavirus is having on supply chain operations.
See NAW's statement and call-to-action below:
"Some of the information on the Coronavirus pandemic that is circulating is not completely accurate or up to date.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus Disease
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus Disease Information for Travel
- World Health Organization: Coronavirus Disease Outbreak
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration: Coronavirus Disease
To the extent that you have not already done so, we direct your attention to these sites as well as to NAW’s insurance partner and advisor, Gallagher, for risk management policies and procedures during a pandemic.
Above and beyond health care concerns, we’ve also heard reports that supply chain disruption is occurring. We would very much appreciate your help by completing a quick, six-question survey, which will give us a sense of what is occurring now in our industry and what will likely happen. This information will greatly assist us in our ongoing discussions with the White House, the Congress, and other officials charged with the federal response to this situation. Your individual responses are anonymous and kept totally confidential.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SIX-QUESTION SURVEY.
Last week Congress passed, and the President signed into law an $8.3 billion “Emergency Supplemental” bill to provide agencies with funds to combat the virus. The Senate Appropriations Committee prepared a summary of the provisions of the emergency funding bill, which you can read here."
Besides causing the cancellation of Grainger Show 2020 (scheduled for March 15-17 in Orlando) and Ace Hardware's 2020 Spring Conference (scheduled for March 11-14 in Chicago), as well as reduced attendance at MODEX (which began Monday and runs through Thursday), Industrial Distribution reported last week that 3M has had to shift sourcing of materials for its N95-rated respiratory masks to regional suppliers amid surging demand for those masks. ID also shared a contributed infographic of the virus' (COVID 19) impact on small parcel shipping, and on March 3, we posted a rundown of recent commentary from large industrial distributors and suppliers regarding how the outbreak has impacted their business or the greater market.
