As a result of a mandatory lockdown due to the coronavirus in Malaysia, the world’s largest condom producer has temporarily stopped manufacturing units.
So we are facing an imminent shortage of condoms: 100 million to be exact .
More sexually transmitted diseases
The World Health Organization considers condoms to be an essential item. Not so much to avoid pregnancy (which in practice is not as effective as we imagine) as to avoid sexually transmitted diseases.
It must be remembered that the condom is an important element for many countries affected by HIV .
Trojan is a brand of condoms and sexual lubricants manufactured by Church & Dwight Company. As of 2006, 70.5 percent of condoms purchased in drug stores in the United States have been this brand. The mandatory coronavirus lockdown in Malaysia has forced Karex to temporarily stop manufacturing condoms for 10 days.
In times of confinement, where there may be more sex, the condom should therefore be considered an essential item . According to a Trojan statement, if retailers consider condoms to be ‘non-essential’ items, consumers could face 30-day waiting periods for their orders and may even risk having unprotected sex.
A shortage or delay in waiting for condoms could mean higher rates of unplanned pregnancy and STI transmission worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.