SmileDirectClub (SDC 18.18%) announced on Thursday that the company is opening a 3D printing facility dedicated to producing much needed COVID-19 medical supplies. The company, which happens to be one of the largest 3D manufacturers in the country, will be partnering with various medical-supply companies and other healthcare groups to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hospitals and other healthcare organizations that could be in need of supplies are encouraged to contact that company directly at an email address provided in the press release.
Government officials have warned that the country could face a shortage of medical supplies. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and a key White House official involved in fighting COVID-19, warned that the country's medical supply stocks would be tested by the virus in the weeks to come.
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"Due to recent automations that increased our printing output capacity, we're able to easily add this production to our current clear aligner therapy lines. We urge any company or health organization that could use additional production resources to reach out to us directly," said CEO David Katzman in an official company statement.
Further details
With many European countries seeing dramatic spikes in the number of COVID-19 cases, the U.S. government is doing everything it can to prepare for what seems like an inevitable influx of patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently asked all hospitals across the country to postpone all elective surgeries to save supplies and instead prepare for COVID-19.
