Nearly every manufacturing company on the globe worked through the pandemic. The vast majority of these companies, from metal fabricators to chip companies, are considered essential employers and were exempt from shut-downs. Now, through this did they experience issues, absolutely. Employees who caught the crud, additional cleaning efforts, changes in process to provide additional space, it all was a challenge that slowed output.

Chips is a very broad term. Kind of like camshaft. Just like cams come in flat tappet or roller, chips come in logic and memory. Within those two categories (on either cam or chip) are a range of capabilities. You wouldn't put a .700 lift 300* duration cam in a commuter car. Similarly, there are different chips that are in personal computers, cars, phones, or your tv remote. They aren't all created equal.

While there are a range of chips being made and a range of ways the circuits in them are created, the most complex chips, despite who makes them, are all made on the same lithography equipment. This equipment is made by a company called ASML. The machines that makes these $150 million each and takes months to make and at the moment, is the most capable way of making microchips. Nikon and Canon, former leaders in this industry, have slipped to making tools for lower technology chips.

ASML is a Dutch company. However, most of the largest chip manufacturing companies are not only in China but also in Taiwan and Korea.