Florida Coronavirus: Gov. Ron DeSantis Says Getting Supplies Crucial In Coronavirus Fight
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - In a news conference at the State Logistics Response Center in Orlando, Governor Ron DeSantis said getting medical supplies is crucial in the fight against coronavirus.
In particular, he pointed out, N95 masks for healthcare workers and assisted living facilities.
"This response is very healthy dependent on a lot of key medical supplies and so things, like the N95 masks, so that healthcare workers are protected. We are also distributing them to nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
State Emergency Management Jared Moskowitz said the N95 masks are at the top of the list.
"We've ordered 7.8 million N95 masks, we've asked the federal government for two million from the strategic national stockpile, " he said.
But the state is also stocking up on other much-needed supplies.
"We're flying stuff in from all over the place. Gowns, booties, Tyvek suits, 2,000 ventilators that we've ordered, the 5,000 ventilators we asked from the federal government stockpile," said Moskowitz. "Hospital beds are coming in, we've ordered 3,000 of those, we've ordered 150 ICU beds."
In addition to supplies, they are scouting out space.
"The Army Corps. is out there looking at old hospital buildings, old hospital wings, trying to figure out which ones we can bring online to add bed capacity," said Moskowitz.
One thing that DeSantis has asked the federal government to send more of is 'collection swabs'. He said most are being diverted to New York, a place he called the epicenter of the pandemic.