A medical supply manufacturer in Maine that makes the swabs used in coronavirus testing has extended the furlough of 180 employees due to lower demand for testing as the coronavirus has ebbed and the supply of testing kits reaches a peak, the Associated Press reports.
One of the two major suppliers for medical swabs in the United States, Puritan Medical Products originally furloughed the employees at its Pittston plant in late June as demand for the swabs fell. The other top supplier, Abbott Laboratories, laid off about 400 workers. Testing has dropped off precipitously as more people get vaccinated.
Puritan said it expects to recall its employees in August after the factory retools to manufacturer other medical supplies. “Everything about this last year was unprecedented and unpredictable, including the current furlough. Each employee who has worked at Puritan over the past year is a hero,” the company said.