WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with American textile industry representatives on Monday as clothiers seek to shift their production lines to face masks and other critical items amid the coronavirus outbreak, the White House said.
Such companies are aiming"to repurpose their factories from making things like T-shirts into gowns and masks and things like cotton swabs" used for coronavirus testing, much like General Motors has moved to use its auto factories to make ventilators for patients with difficulty breathing, Navarro said.
A severe lack of U.S. medical supplies has hampered healthcare workers on the front lines treating coronavirus patients, leaving hospitals and states scrambling for protective gear.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also urged Americans to wear masks to help prevent the spread of the disease, but it has encouraged using homemade and other varieties to keep medical-grade ones available for first responders and healthcare workers.