Federal Gov’t Recovers Medical Supplies from Hoarders to Distribute to Coronavirus Epicenters
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are announcing the distribution of hoarded personal protective equipment (PPE) to combat the coronavirus crisis in New York and New…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are announcing the distribution of hoarded personal protective equipment (PPE) to combat the coronavirus crisis in New York and New Jersey.
In a statement released on Thursday, HHS Secretary Alex Azar shared the results of an investigation conducted by the DOJ’s COVID-19 Hoarding and Price Gouging Task Force.
In addition to more than 130,000 masks, Azar confirmed a surplus of other medical supplies — including “598,000 medical grade gloves and 130,000 surgical masks, procedure masks, N100 masks, surgical gowns, disinfectant towels, particulate filters, bottles of hand sanitizer, and bottles of spray disinfectant” — were also discovered.
The supplies will be sent to New York and New Jersey — the two states have been labeled epicenters of the coronavirus in the U.S.
Azar also made it clear the agency would continue to conduct investigations. Hoarding will also be taken seriously in an effort to obtain and properly distribute medical supplies to healthcare workers on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis.