Yes, the government stockpiles ventilators. No, it likely won't have enough
by Del Quentin Wilber, Los Angeles Times
Mar 18, 2020
4 minutes
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump says the federal government has stockpiled "massive numbers of ventilators" and "tremendous amounts of equipment" to help hospitals respond to a crush of seriously ill coronavirus patients.
The problem, experts say, is that the government's cache of supplies probably won't be nearly enough to satisfy the demand. That's because its stockpile was designed to be a temporary lifeline to health care workers in a particular place or region, until they can get more equipment and medicine from the private sector - not to provide all the gear they need, and to caregivers nationwide, simultaneously.
"There will likely
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