New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Friday signed an executive order saying the state can take ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) from hospitals and medical institutions and redistribute the items to places that are in dire need.
The governor said at his daily press conference that the National Guard will transport the ventilators, masks and other equipment to hard-hit parts of the state like New York City.
“We do not have enough ventilators. Period. I am signing an Executive Order allowing the state to take ventilators and redistribute to hospitals in need,” Cuomo tweeted on Friday.
Cuomo, who warned on Thursday that the state’s stockpile of ventilators would run out in the next six days, said there are hospitals in the state that have several hundred ventilators and excess protective gear but are not yet dealing with high numbers of COVID-19 cases. READ MORE
