Health officials warn US government does not have enough stockpiled medical equipment to deal with coronavirus
Top health care officials said Monday that there is not enough stockpiled medical equipment like masks, gowns and gloves to fulfill the anticipated need of nation's health care system as it deals with the coronavirus.
Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services told medical professionals on a conference call Monday that there was not enough personal protective equipment in the Strategic National Stockpile to fulfill anticipated gaps in state and local supplies, according to a source who was on the call. The call was confirmed to CNN by a Department of Health and Human Services official.
The officials, from HHS's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness Reponses, said on the call that the government didn't yet have a solution for the looming shortfall, but was working on one.
The call comes on the same day that President Donald Trump announced new White House guidelines for the crisis that advise the public to limit gatherings to 10 or fewer people. In a somber news conference, Trump also asked the nation to avoid going to restaurants, bars and food courts and to limit travel as much as possible -- a stark change in messaging after the President had spent much of the last few weeks downplaying the crisis.
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