Every single day the media reports on the shortage of ventilators in the country. It has been reported that action has been taken to both repair the existing federal surplus and in addition, the president has ordered more ventilators to be manufactured.
The key to requiring fewer ventilators hinges on more personal protective equipment being manufactured immediately and issued to frontline medical workers, emergency first responders, police and fire personnel, and to the community. Community distribution priority should be provision of masks and gloves to the most vulnerable in the population, both to prevent the spread of the virus and to ensure that they do not become symptomatic and need to be hospitalized and subsequently placed on a ventilator.
If the president was to invoke the Defense Production Act to manufacture masks, gloves, gowns and face shields, this action would prevent many unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths and ensure there will be a sufficient number of healthy health care professionals to take care of people who are ill.
Randi Kay
Saugus
