US 'wasted' months before preparing for coronavirus pandemic
India TodayAs the first alarms sounded in early January that an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China might ignite a global pandemic, the Trump administration squandered nearly two months that could have been used to bolster the federal stockpile of critically needed medical supplies and equipment. "The notion of the federal stockpile was it's supposed to be our stockpile," Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and adviser, said at a White House briefing Thursday. Trump, who pledged on March 27 that his administration would ensure that 100,000 additional ventilators would be made available "within 100 days," said on Thursday that he'll use the Defense Production Act to order Respironics and other ventilator makers to step up production. In a House Oversight and Reform Committee briefing last week, top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials hedged, saying 100,000 ventilators would be available by late June "at the earliest."
History of this topic
States are trashing troves of masks and pandemic gear as huge, costly stockpiles linger and expire
Associated Press
Fact check: Trump continues to dishonestly downplay the pandemic
CNN
White House ramps up PR campaign to improve Trump’s image
CNN
Nation’s stockpile proves no match for the coronavirus pandemic
CNN
Coronavirus: Jared Kushner sees "success story" as deaths rise
LA Times)
Coronavirus Outbreak: With 90% of federal stockpile used, US runs low on masks, shield, medical equipment; toll rises to 14,795
Firstpost
US wasted months before preparing for Covid-19 pandemic: Report
India Today
US ‘wasted’ months before preparing for coronavirus pandemic
Associated Press
Trump Admin Tries To Narrow Stockpile’s Role For States
Huff Post
Katrina Commander Rips 'Totally Clueless' Jared Kushner's Coronavirus Comments
Huff Post
Trump administration tries to narrow stockpile’s role for states
LA Times
A disaster foretold: Shortages of ventilators and other medical supplies have long been warned about
LA Times
Health officials warn US government does not have enough stockpiled medical equipment to deal with coronavirus
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