HHS watchdog finds ‘severe’ and ‘widespread’ shortages of coronavirus tests and masks

The hospitals reported “widespread shortages of PPE put staff and patients at risk.” The report said, “heavier use of PPE than normal was contributing to the shortage and that the lack of a robust supply chain was delaying or preventing them from restocking PPE needed to protect staff.” The hospitals “expressed uncertainty about availability of PPE from federal and state sources and noted sharp increases in prices for PPE from some vendors,” the report added.

“To secure the necessary PPE … hospitals reported turning to new, sometimes un-vetted, and non-traditional sources of supplies and medical equipment,” the watchdog said. “To try to make existing supplies of PPE last, hospitals reported conserving and reusing single-use/disposable PPE, including using or exploring ultra-violet sterilization of masks or bypassing some sanitation processes by having staff place surgical masks over N95 masks.”

For some, this meant “turning to non-medical-grade PPE, such as construction masks or handmade masks and gowns, which they worried may put staff at risk,” the report noted.

Although businesses across the United States are pumping out millions of pieces of personal protective equipment, shortages of surgical masks, N95 respirators, face shields, gowns, and gloves continue to hurt hospitals, especially in hard-hit areas such as New York City.

On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order stopping companies from exporting N95 masks and other much-needed PPE to other countries. On Saturday, Trump said HHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency had ordered 180 million N95 respirators. He has also said the mere threat of invoking the Defense Production Act had gotten businesses to increase their output of much-needed hospital supplies.

Hospitals reported “severe shortages of testing supplies and extended waits for test results limited hospitals’ ability to monitor the health of patients and staff” and “they were unable to keep up with COVID-19 testing demands because they lacked complete kits,” the HHS watchdog report said. The HHS inspector general found hospitals would frequently wait seven days or more for test results and “when patient stays were extended while awaiting test results, this strained bed availability, personal protective equipment supplies, and staffing.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reportedly botched its coronavirus tests earlier this year, but testing capacity has significantly ramped up the last couple weeks. On Sunday, Trump said 1.67 million people had been tested.

“Anticipated shortages of ventilators were identified as a big challenge for hospitals,” the watchdog report said, adding that “ventilator shortages would pose difficult decisions about ethical allocation and liability, although at the time of our survey no hospital reported limiting ventilator use.”

Trump said on Sunday all 50 states were approved for major disaster declarations, and additional ventilators would be sent to hot spots across the country. Louisiana would be getting 200, Michigan would get 300, Massachusetts would receive 100, New Jersey would get 500, and Illinois would get 600. The federal government has distributed thousands of ventilators from its Strategic National Stockpile in the last couple weeks.

The HHS watchdog stressed “the pandemic is fast-moving, as are the efforts to address it” and noted “HHS, Congress, and other government entities across the federal, state, local, and tribal levels are taking substantial actions on a continual basis to support hospitals in responding to COVID-19.” The inspector general emphasized that “HHS has already taken and continues to take actions related to each of the challenges that hospitals identified in our survey” and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed in late March “provides the basis for additional actions.”

The inspector general said its report “is not a review of HHS response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“We have collected this information as an aid for HHS as it continues to lead efforts to address the public health emergency and support hospitals and other first responders,” the watchdog report said. “In addition, hospitals may find the information about each other’s strategies useful in their efforts to mitigate the challenges they are facing.”

Hospitals told HHS they were concerned about other issues too, including: the ability to maintain proper staffing levels; the emotional toll the fear and uncertainty were having on staff; the possibility of hospitals becoming overwhelmed; a shortage of supplies ranging from intravenous therapy poles and linens to toilet paper and food; increased costs and decreased revenues threatening the hospitals’ financial footing; and shifting and conflicting guidance from federal, state, and local authorities.

Dr. Anthony Fauci of the White House coronavirus task force said Saturday that “to see now what these brave warriors are doing in the hospitals, not only giving lifesaving treatment to people, but every single day putting themselves at risk for themselves and their family — I just think that the American public owe a phenomenal debt of gratitude for these people.”

Vice President Mike Pence echoed those comments, saying that during Christianity’s Holy Week, “I just encourage people to pray for our healthcare workers — pray for them and their families.” Pence added, “They are really the hands and feet every day, not just of healthcare, but of the heart of the American people, and we are all grateful for them every hour of the day.”

As of Monday morning, there were more than 1.28 million confirmed coronavirus cases around the world and more than 70,500 deaths tied to the infection, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. In the U.S., there were more than 337,000 cases, which have been associated with about 9,600 deaths.