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.
Man Who Set Out in 1998 to Walk the Entire Globe Finally Returns Home
US Hits Iranian Island with ‘Defensive’ Strike
AOC campaign memo frames growth from progressive firebrand to national Democratic Party force
Ex-Rep Justin Amash says Mike Rogers ‘would be more dangerous in the US Senate’ than Abdul El-Sayed
Ken Paxton makes closing pitch to anxious Republicans — and even some opponents
Trump to end all military funding to Israel by end of the year: ‘They don’t need it’
Widespread ‘Ballot Scanning Issues’ Reported in Competitive New York House District
Widespread ‘Ballot Scanning Issues’ Reported in Competitive New York House District
Pundit predictions for 2026 elections: Who will win?
‘Should Have Killed You While I Had the Chance’ – Leftist Student’s Lightning Attack Sends Conservative Woman Flying
‘Should Have Killed You While I Had the Chance’ – Leftist Student’s Lightning Attack Sends Conservative Woman Flying
Talarico warms to Trump, says he wants to help fulfill some MAGA promises
Alaska voter ‘disgusted’ by reported ‘decoy Dan’ plot switches from Peltola to Sullivan
Democrats’ Dismal Approval Numbers Could Help GOP Hold House and Senate: NBC News
Stevens Shares Devastating Election Eve Piece On Why She Disowned El-Sayed, Democratic Party: ‘How Will He Represent an Entire State?’
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.
