COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update
The coronavirus outbreak is challenging communities, relief organizations and healthcare systems throughout the world. Here is the latest update (as of March 17, 2020) on how Baxter is responding and providing support to hospitals, healthcare providers and patients.
- Maintaining Product Supply: Our global manufacturing operations are running at planned levels. We are proactively managing our inventory levels, stock levels in warehouses and transportation options, so we can act quickly as the situation changes. We expect increased demand for some products to continue and are monitoring customer ordering patterns to help ensure product availability for all of our customers. In addition, our work over the last few years to strengthen and expand our manufacturing network further helps us manage unprecedented situations like these.
- Product Donations: Given the critical role our medical devices and medicines play in patient care, we have a comprehensive product donation program to support communities in need around the world. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, we have donated several continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) systems, which are used to treat patients experiencing sudden kidney failure due to a severe case of the disease. Additionally, we have donated thousands of masks and other personal protective equipment for use by healthcare providers.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE, such as gloves, masks and gowns, is in high demand by healthcare professionals and companies like Baxter, as our infection control procedures require that all manufacturing employees wear PPE while on the job. We have worked collaboratively with our global network of suppliers to significantly ramp up the amount of PPE available for our employees and partners.
- Critical Support for Healthcare Providers: Our team is providing frontline assistance to healthcare providers as they manage the influx of critically ill patients requiring care. We are using virtual tools for training and individualized clinical support for nurses and physicians.
- Supporting Home Patients: We continue to meet the needs of our home patients globally. In Benelux we are delivering supplies to our home patients as normal. There is no reason to order extra supplies. Baxter delivery drivers are taking extra infection control precautions to protect our patients and themselves. If you are displaced from your normal delivery location or need any help with a home order, please contact our Customer Service Team.
- Protecting Our Employees: We immediately activated our response plan to protect our employees’ health and safety across all Baxter facilities. Our plan follows the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization and includes steps such as symptom screening at building entrances, use of respiratory protection for key personnel, and restricting visitors at facilities. Our manufacturing employees continue to go above and beyond to help us continue to supply our life-sustaining products around the globe. Our existing flexible workplace policies have enabled our office- and field-based employees to work remotely while maintaining business continuity. Business travel has been restricted. All Baxter sites are currently prepared to implement additional measures should the need arise.