In these difficult times, we’ve made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. To get all of HBR’s content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.
Since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, world-class hospitals from New York to Atlanta to San Francisco struggled with shortages of basic safety equipment. Masks, gowns, and face shields have all been in short supply, and the race to get more has meant hospital staff and public officials desperately searching for reliable suppliers. Elsewhere on the front lines, there have been critical shortages in the test kits that experts agree are essential to reopening economies the world over.