coronavirus struck.Countries across the world imposed 222 export curbs on medical supplies and medicines and in some cases food, according to Global Trade Alert, a Swiss monitoring group.
For medical products, it was more than 20 times the usual level.Those curbs are now being lifted, but the pandemic has reinforced protectionist arguments by highlighting how global supply chains can deprive people of essential medical protection and disrupt food supplies, as well as threaten jobs.U.S.