5 ms·
From what I read, it seems there was a cache of N95 respirators in the Strategic National Stockpile. However, it was depleted during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak and
by tjohns 7y ago
From what I read, it seems there was a cache of N95 respirators in the Strategic National Stockpile.
However, it was depleted during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak and never replenished. Instead, their budget was used for what they thought were more pressing concerns at the time — stockpiling drugs/equipment for other emerging diseases.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/face-masks-in-national-stockpile-have-not-been-substantially-replenished-since-2009/2020/03/10/57e57316-60c9-11ea-8baf-519cedb6ccd9_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/face-masks-in-...
- mirimir 7y agoWith a larger budget, they could have done both. And why was their budget so limited?
- Rebelgecko 7y agoProbably in part due to the 2012 sequester
- mirimir 7y agoMore generally, the Budget Control Act of 2011.
- tzfld 7y agoHow much of a budget would you need to stockpile like 10 million masks? I don't think it is a cost problem.
- mirimir 7y agoNo, it's not a cost issue. But I suspect that it was a consequence of meeting fixed cost reduction targets, and being something where cutting had no immediate impact.