Trump Official Says There’s No Shortage Of Ventilators. Reports Say Otherwise.

LOADING ERROR LOADING White House officials on Thursday tried to soothe concerns that there was a shortage of ventilators in hospitals despite reports suggesting that the medical equipment was in dire shortage, specifically in New York City. However, a report from The New York Times on Friday revealed, in harrowing detail, that the Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, New York, scrambled to get more ventilators while having to work with only “a few dozen.” Birx downplayed such reports, saying that she has been reassured by New York officials that “there are still ICU beds in New York.” Birx also said there were “over 1,000 to 2,000” available ventilators in the city, though she did not provide details on how and when hospitals were getting access to them. we don’t have evidence of that right now.” Dr. Birx on ventilators in New York: "To wake up this morning and look at people talking about creating DNR situations, Do-Not-Resuscitate situations for patients -- there is no situation in the United States right now that warrants that kind of discussion." Birx on Thursday said she had met with New York officials who told her that there were still ventilators and available hospital beds in the city. New York City Council Member Mark Levine, chair of the city’s health committee, told HuffPost last week that his estimates show hospitals running out of supplies and medical equipment in two weeks.