US Economics Venezuelan style

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First of all, we import a crapton of stuff from China.

The cost of goods could go up as China attempts to recover from its own economic crisis.

The availability of goods could decrease since 400 million people are currently locked down in China. It’s a pretty safe guess that manufacturing is not ticking along as it has been in the past.

And it goes even deeper than that. Even products that are “made in China” have components that are made in the United States. A lot of the research and development is done in the states, and of course, the retail aspect also takes place here. In fact, 56% of what you pay for an item “made in China” goes to American workers and businesses.

And with the latest news that the virus can live up to 9 days on surfaces and that the actual incubation period is 24 days and not 14, well, bringing stuff in from China no longer seems like such a great idea now, does it?

So you can see how the ripple effect could cause a lot of problems on our side of the ocean.

A large number of medications and medical supplies will be adversely affected;

• Coenzyme Q10 (ubidecarenone) heart health supplement increases oxygen
• Quinone drugs including Malaria testing kits
• Aromatic drugs derived from carboxylic acids with additional oxygen function, and their derivatives
• Amfetamine (INN) benzfetamine (INN), dexamfetamine (INN), etilamfetamine used to treat ADHD, hyperactivity, narcolepsy,  athletic performance and cognitive enhancer
• antidepressants, tranquilizers and other psychotherapeutic agents, monoamine drugs
• cardiovascular drugs of amino-compounds with oxygen function

• dermatological agents and local anesthetics
• Lidocaine
• oxygen increase breathing drugs for cardio patients and asthmatics
  
• Anesthesia drugs
• Thyroid drugs, hormone drugs
• TB drugs
• Anti-malaria drugs
• Immunological products and drugs
• Vaccines for human medicine
• Vaccines for veterinary medicine
• Human blood; animal blood prepared for therapeutic, prophylactic, diagnostic uses; toxins, cultures of micro-organisms
• Antibiotics
• Diabetes drugs, testing strips, syringes
• Asthma drugs
• Ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine – vasodilators
• Other medications containing alkaloids or derivatives
• Medicaments containing vitamin B2 synthesized from aromatic or mod. aromatic compounds, in dosage form or packed for retail
• Medicaments containing vitamin B12 synthesized from aromatic or mod. aromatic compounds, in dosage form or packed for retail
•  Medicaments containing vitamin E synthesized from aromatic or mod. aromatic compounds, in dosage form or packed
•  Adhesive dressings and other articles having an adhesive layer, coated or impregnated with pharmaceutical substances, packed for retail
• Herbicides
• Triethanolamine will affect surfactants (any detergent), emulsifiers, and cosmetics
• Sterile surgical catgut, suture materials, tissue adhesives for wound closure, laminaria, laminaria tents, and absorbable hemostatic.
• Algins used as thickening or stabilizing agents in foodstuffs and other products.
• Drugs used to dilate the cervix
• Blood-grouping reagents –  medical blood tests
• Opacifying preparation for X-ray examination; diagnostic reagent designed to be administered to the patient such as Barium for GI series, dyes, and stains for other radiologic tests
• Antigens or antisera antiserum. A serum containing antibodies that are specific for one or more antigens. Also called immune serum. Human or animal serum containing one or more antibodies that are specific for one or more antigens and are administered to confer immunity.
• Thorium – coats tungsten filaments used in old-fashioned light bulbs, TVs, electronics, etc.
• Dental cement and other dental fillings; bone reconstruction cement
• Chemical contraceptive preparations based on hormones or spermicides,  birth control
• Gel preparation use human/veterinary medicine lubricant in surgical operations, physical exam, or coupling agent between body & medical instrument, such as  KY Jelly
• Appliances identifiable for ostomy use

That’s a whole lot of stuff – and much of it is incredibly vital.

But wait, there’s more. Here are products that could soon increase in price, be in short supply, or even be completely unavailable;

• Tires, tire retreading products,  all rubber products including but not limited to stoppers, caps, lids, hoses, belts, tubes, pipes, etc. This will affect everything that rolls or is contained.
• Antifreeze and de-icing fluids
• Iron and iron alloys and steel products
• Aluminum and alloys
• Nuclear reactors and parts
• Central heating units and parts, furnace burners and all parts, furnaces, ovens, and water heaters,
• Turbines of all kinds, combustion piston engines, ignitions, compressors
• Hydraulic engines, pneumatic engines, turbo engines
• Pumps of all kinds
• Machinery for food production commercial and home use
• Papermaking and bookmaking, anything printed
• Cartons, boxes, containers for mailing and shipping
• Textile machines, any and everything to do with needlework of any kind in textiles
• Metalworks:  Anything to do with machinery involved in this industry, drilling, milling, grinding, smoothing, shaping, punching, polishing, etc.
• Woodworking machinery of any all kinds
• Cast iron parts and products
• Chainsaws and parts
• Cash registers
• Anything to do with computers, electronics, magnetic storage, whole or in parts
• Medical devices
• Microwaves
• TVs
• Car computer components,
• Concrete mixers
• Earthmoving, crushing, grinding, and sorting machinery of all kinds
• Glass optic machinery
• Assembly machinery of all kinds
• Vacuum molding machinery
• Thermoforming machinery
• Rope and cable manufacturing machinery, both metal and fiber
• Floor polishers,
• Trash compactors
• Pulleys
• Ball bearings
• Welders
• Electric motors
• Generators of all applications from large to small
• Electromagnetics
• Lab equipment for all applications
• Broadcast equipment
• Safety control equipment (flight record data box for example)
• Railway and shipping equipment of any and all types
• Tractors
• Motor vehicles of all kinds.  If it rolls it’s on the list.
• If it flies it’s on the list as well as the parts to repair or assemble
• If it floats it’s on the list.
• Satellites of all kinds and all parts

You can use this list to foresee the things that could become a problem. Some things you could stock up on – like medications – but others are items you won’t know you need until you actually need them – like parts to repair your furnace.

It’s impossible to say whether the items in the list above will become unavailable, just like it’s impossible to truly predict how far and fast the Wuhan coronavirus will spread. Like the virus, we just don’t know enough yet and the situation is rapidly evolving.

If nothing else, your awareness of the possible economic and supply ramifications is a tool in your arsenal. Preparing for the economic fallout is just as important as preparing for the virus itself.

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