Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday said during a press conference he would sign an executive order allowing the government to seize unused ventilators in New York state and redistribute them to hospitals in need as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
“The National Guard are going to be deployed to pick them up across the state, and deploy them to places that we need them,” Cuomo said during a press conference on Friday.
He estimated that about several hundred ventilators would be redistributed.
“Am I willing to deploy the National Guard and inconvenience people for several hundred lives? he asked. “You’re damn right I am.”
Cuomo said the executive order would also apply to unused medical PPE.
“We are running out of ventilators and we could have people dying because there are no ventilators,” he said.
California special interest groups follow Newsom into early 2028 primary states
Hegseth’s growing campaign role sparks talk of political future
‘How Weak Are You?’: Watch as Vet Who Lost Both Legs in Afghanistan Shreds Sailors Whining About Food on USS Abraham Lincoln
Minnesota prosecutor accused of billing Medicaid from commercial sex house she turned into assisted-living facility
Socialists capture major Florida victory on hit-or-miss night for Trump-endorsed primary candidates
Inside the tension that drove Trump’s South Korea alliance from ‘historic new era’ to military pullback
State of play: What to know about California showdown to replace Swalwell after massive scandal
Former state rep tops ranked-choice slugfest as Alaska advances nominees for governor
America’s reddest state crowns GOP governor nominee
Democrats pick their fighter for uphill bid to flip deep-red Senate seat
69 live animals found stuffed in pillowcases in hidden car compartment after border arrest: Feds
Prosecutors hammer Tyler Robinson’s bid to derail death penalty in Charlie Kirk murder case
Maryland rocked by third beaver attack in weeks after 2 animals test positive for rabies
Never-Trump Republican is top Dem choice in crucial Florida primary
Trump’s support doesn’t save scandal-plagued lawmaker in primary
Cuomo said he would issue the order to prevent people from dying.
“I’m just not going to allow us to go there, I think it would be wholly irresponsible,” he said, noting that upstate New York hospitals did not have as many cases.
Cuomo said that hospitals would get their seized ventilators back when the need was filled or the state would pay for them.
“I apologize for the hardship to those institutions, ultimately there is no hardship, if you don’t get the ventilator back, I give you my personal word I will pay you for the ventilator,” he said.
“Don’t use the word ‘seize,’” Cuomo said to reporters, calling it a “harsh word.”
“It’s sharing of resources,” he said.
Story cited here.
