While Massachusetts was being pummeled by a surge of coronavirus cases and a desperate need for personal protective equipment to protect frontline workers, the federal government doled out large shipments of gear to states with smaller populations experiencing much lower levels of infection, WBUR reports.
In May, Massachusetts was given the least amount of PPE by the Federal Emergency Management Agency relative to its count for COVID-19 positive cases, according to the station. By the end of May, the Bay State had reported more than 96,000 positive cases and the deaths of more than 6,800 residents of complications from the virus.
During the early weeks of the outbreak, as the number of infections began to explode in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker frequently expressed frustration at not being able to obtain PPE for frontline workers, stressing that the federal government was outbidding states for equipment. In late March, the Massachusetts congressional delegation sent a letter to feds demanding to know why the state had only received a fraction of the medical equipment it had requested from national stockpiles, despite being one of the hardest-hit by the virus at the time.
State and medical officials were forced to track down PPE on their own. Local leaders worked with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to deliver a million masks from China on the team plane, while one hospital official described the harrowing experience of chasing supplies for his health care system.
According to WBUR, Massachusetts had nearly 85,000 cases, compared to Alaska’s 383 by mid-May. But, data obtained by the Associated Press and shared with the station revealed that out of all the states Massachusetts received the least amount of equipment per case — 36 pieces of gear per case. Meanwhile, Alaska received 1,580 pieces of gear per case, and New York, at a time when it was the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, received 45 pieces of gear per case, the second-lowest amount.
Less populated and rural states including Montana, Hawaii, and Vermont received the highest amount of protective equipment per positive case, according to the station.
Sarah Finlaw, a spokeswoman for the governor, told the station the state has procured and distributed more than 24 million pieces of equipment, pursuing “extraordinary lengths” to do so.
“We will continue to aggressively pursue all supply chains, and to create new ones with companies here in Massachusetts, to ensure that the Commonwealth’s emergency stockpile needs are met,” she told WBUR.
But already, health experts are raising concerns about the availability of PPE in Massachusetts and urging more preparations for a second wave of infections.
The Massachusetts Nursing Association told WHDH the state has a two-week emergency supply of masks, but that a 90-day supply is what’s really needed.
“The equipment needs to be there first, it needs to be there preemptively,” David Rosman, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, told the station.
A message on the state website related to PPE says the officials are “acutely aware of rapidly expanding needs for personal protective equipment (PPE) for numerous organizations across the state – including masks, gowns, gloves, and eye protection.”
“PPE resources are limited in the Commonwealth and we must conserve the use of PPE,” the message continues. “Currently, DPH and MEMA are only able to serve as a bridge when an entity has a critically low supply. The Commonwealth is not able to supplant the normal supply chain for PPE.”
Baker has said repeatedly at his press briefings on coronavirus that the state continues to work on building up the emergency stockpile.
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