Russia is increasing the production of protective equipment in connection with the spread of coronavirus. This was stated on the air of the YouTube channel "Solovyov LIVE" by the Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov. Earlier, he held a meeting of the department on this issue.

First of all, it was about medical masks and protective suits. In many regions of Russia over the past three weeks, masks have virtually disappeared from free sale.

According to Manturov, by mid-April, the total production of these personal protective equipment in the country will reach 4 million units per day.

“Now they have reached the volume of almost half a million masks per day. These are gauze certified as medical devices. And in mid-April (maximum of the 20th), together with light industry and organizations of the Federal Penitentiary Service, we will produce almost 2 million masks. We consider: 1.6 million (products from non-woven materials of serial production. - RT ), 400 thousand (products from non-woven materials produced by enterprises of light industry and FSIN. - RT ) and 2 million (gauze dressings). In total, we reach 4 million masks per day, ”Manturov said.

At the same time, he emphasized that mass-production enterprises in a short time increased production volumes by more than 2.5 times - from 600 thousand to 1.6 million.

However, as the minister noted, even these volumes are not enough to cover the deficit. However, over the past week, 37 million masks from China were delivered to Russia, next week there should be another supply of 55 million. This will cover the needs of all medical institutions and departments whose employees need personal protective equipment, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade said.

  • Alexey Gruzdev spoke about the volumes of supplies of masks and protective suits

He also added that China sends masks to Russia as a matter of priority, taking into account the assistance that Moscow provided to Beijing at the very beginning of the epidemic.

State Secretary, Deputy Minister Viktor Yevtukhov also said that due to the acute shortage of masks in the early days, a decision was made to produce disposable gauze masks at light industry enterprises and FSIN enterprises.

“Starting with 20 thousand gauze masks at light industry enterprises, we grew to the volume of 125 thousand masks per day, and FSIN enterprises produced 144 thousand gauze masks only in the last day. We began to produce masks from SMS material. Small and micro enterprises are included in the work: over this day, 56 regions, in addition to mass production at large enterprises, produced 2.5 million masks from various materials: gauze, SMS and others, ”he said.

  • Viktor Evtukhov spoke about the production volumes of masks from various materials

Evtukhov added that in the near future large manufacturers of personal protective equipment and protective clothing will be reoriented to the production of the necessary sets of an infectious disease specialist.

“Already, samples are being sewn off, enterprises are changing production. 50 light industry enterprises have already been approved, which will go on an industrial scale and will sew 25 thousand suits per day. After two or three days of work, when the enterprises determine the required speed, we will reach large volumes, ”the deputy minister added.

Strategic products

In addition to masks, medical facilities also need protective suits. According to Manturov, Russia should have a “two-week supply” of such products.

This issue was discussed in detail at a meeting of the Ministry’s internal headquarters - it coordinates the daily production of all products necessary to counter the coronavirus, as well as ensuring a stable situation in the consumer goods market.

Now, Russia's need for medical overalls, along with the development of domestic production, is being met through foreign supplies. On April 1, Russia imported from China 500 thousand pairs of non-sterile PVC gloves and 240 thousand Tyvek protective suits. According to the deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Alexei Gruzdev, Russia recently concluded two new contracts for the supply of Tyvek protective suits in the amount of 1.05 million units and for the supply of 80 million medical masks.

According to the Minister, domestic enterprises should reach the daily production volume of 150 thousand overalls per day by the end of April. So far, we are talking about 25 thousand. In the near future, large manufacturers of personal protective equipment and protective clothing will be reoriented to the production of medical protective suits.

“Let’s focus on Tyvek now, because we are gradually developing domestic production, and with regard to costumes, we still need some time (to establish production. - RT ) ...” Manturov said.

  • Mask production
  • RIA News
  • © George Zimarev

Antiseptic Production Drivers

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the situation with the production of respirators is gradually improving. Deputy Minister Mikhail Ivanov said that their daily output increased from 190 thousand per day to 260 thousand units (only for April 1, the increase was 5 thousand units). The department expects further growth, including due to the emergence of new models. Seven more new samples are being registered as medical devices.

Over the past 24 hours, respirators have been delivered to regional departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Tax Service, the Federal Penitentiary Service, as well as to local authorities, organizations and retail chains of about 15 constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Also at the meeting, Manturov raised the issue of providing antiseptics. Mikhail Ivanov said that the daily volume of production of disinfectants in the Russian Federation only in the last 24 hours has grown by 30 thousand liters, to 220 thousand liters. This result was achieved thanks to the launch of two new sites in Aleksin (Tula region) and Nizhny Novgorod.

  • In Moscow
  • Reuters
  • © Evgenia Novozhenina

“These are different formats: bottles, liquid and gel, sprays, different nomenclature, which is consumed today. At the same time, about 50% of shipments are carried out by us to medical organizations and about 50% go to retail, trade and pharmacy chains, ”Ivanov explained.

According to the official, over the past day, additional volumes of antiseptics were sent to Tula, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan and Yekaterinburg.

Ivanov noted that the rate of release of antiseptics in Russia will increase: currently the laboratories of Rospotrebnadzor are testing the products of two more potential domestic manufacturers.

  • Mikhail Ivanov spoke about the production of antiseptics

In particular, the staff of the supervisory authority conducts a thorough microbiological study of liquids. Manturov stressed that only products that have been properly registered with Rospotrebnadzor should be delivered to Russian medical facilities and counters.

According to Ivanov, perfumery and cosmetics companies have become another driver for increasing the production of antiseptics in Russia. Today, the share of their products is about 12% of the total volume of manufactured antiseptic drugs. Next week, "perfumers" should give an increase in daily production of antiseptics of 22 thousand liters.