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Artificial ventilators are produced at a rapid rate at Sanko Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Saitama on April 8, 2020, amid an outbreak of the new coronavirus COVID-19. Japanís Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proclaimed a state of emergency to Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka for about one month on April 7th, and asked for refraining from going out to the extent possible. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic, globally widespread on March 11th. (The Yomiuri Shimbun)
CENTRE FOR ECONOMIC AND POLICY RESEARCH

To fight Covid-19, we must fight intellectual property, trade and investment rules

These restrictions must be overturned or ignored because they are limiting the production and importing of essential medical equipment such as ventilators

  • Jonathan Cannard
9 min read