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| Trump on urgent requests for ventilators: 'I don't believe you need 30,000' | Trump on urgent requests for ventilators: 'I don't believe you need 30,000' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President’s remarks to Sean Hannity on Fox News appear to come in response to New York governor’s plea for ventilator help | President’s remarks to Sean Hannity on Fox News appear to come in response to New York governor’s plea for ventilator help |
| Donald Trump has again downplayed the severity of an intensifying coronavirus outbreak by telling rightwing Fox News host Sean Hannity that he had “a feeling that a lot of the numbers” of estimated ventilators needed to respond to overwhelmed hospitals “are just bigger than they’re going to be”. | Donald Trump has again downplayed the severity of an intensifying coronavirus outbreak by telling rightwing Fox News host Sean Hannity that he had “a feeling that a lot of the numbers” of estimated ventilators needed to respond to overwhelmed hospitals “are just bigger than they’re going to be”. |
| In severe cases, the coronavirus leads to the respiratory diseases known as Covid-19. Ventilators can allow these patients to breathe with restricted lungs. | In severe cases, the coronavirus leads to the respiratory diseases known as Covid-19. Ventilators can allow these patients to breathe with restricted lungs. |
| But Trump told Hannity: “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’” | But Trump told Hannity: “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’” |
| The president’s comments appear to be in response to New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, who had called for 30,000 ventilators, explaining that state hospitals had only 4,000 in the system at the beginning of the outbreak. | |
| Meanwhile many states across the US are scrambling to buy ventilators, often at inflated rates. | Meanwhile many states across the US are scrambling to buy ventilators, often at inflated rates. |
| In New York state hospitals are struggling to keep up with a spike in patients and limited supplies. As of Friday, more than 37,000 cases have been confirmed in the state, resulting in 385 deaths. | In New York state hospitals are struggling to keep up with a spike in patients and limited supplies. As of Friday, more than 37,000 cases have been confirmed in the state, resulting in 385 deaths. |
| Cuomo is among a growing number of state leaders to criticize the federal government’s delayed response to the pandemic as well as the Trump administration’s disjointed messaging to Americans. | Cuomo is among a growing number of state leaders to criticize the federal government’s delayed response to the pandemic as well as the Trump administration’s disjointed messaging to Americans. |
| Hannity did not press Trump on the potential impact of insufficient supplies, continued delays or danger of spreading misinformation Trump instead went on to complain about the costs of the life-saving medical equipment. | |
| “When you talk about ventilators, that’s sort of like buying a car. It’s a highly, very expensive,” he said. | “When you talk about ventilators, that’s sort of like buying a car. It’s a highly, very expensive,” he said. |
| Trump’s comments come as the New York Times reported late on Thursday that the White House was set to announce a contract with General Motors and Ventec Life Systems to produce more than 80,000 ventilators, but had “second thoughts”. | |
| Fema apparently opted for more time to negotiate the estimated costs. | Fema apparently opted for more time to negotiate the estimated costs. |