The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency could not say how many masks the government has sent to hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic when repeatedly pressed for a specific number.
“It is a dynamic and fluid operation,” Peter Gaynor told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. “The president appointed FEMA five days ago to manage federal operations, and since I’ve been here, we’ve been shipping continuously from federal warehouses, and again, connecting, you know, those governors that need supplies to those who have it in the commercial sector.”
Gaynor later said he could not even give a rough estimate of the number of masks being distributed.
“I can’t give you a rough number. I can tell you it’s happening every day,” he said.
“You understand, of course, the inability of the federal government to give a number in terms of masks alarms people, it makes people concerned that there aren’t masks going out the door. I’m not saying that that’s the case, but without a number, it doesn’t fill people with confidence,” CNN anchor Jake Tapper said.
“I’m not sure it’s about an exact number,” Gaynor responded.
There have been continuous reports about hospitals and medical staff throughout the United States not having sufficient supplies to protect themselves as they treat patients who have or are suspected of having the coronavirus.
