OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Jay Inslee called on Washington businesses Wednesday to manufacture safety equipment and other medical supplies to help the state’s fight against the coronavirus.
“We rather urgently need to increase the stocks of particularly, personal protective equipment,” Inslee said in a press conference.
Inslee said the federal government isn’t getting medical gear to states in need fast enough.
The demand for safety equipment is immediate and widespread, with health officials saying the shortages are critical and medical staff are putting their lives at risk by practicing without proper PPE.
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"As for the amount that we are short, it's almost an infinite number," Inslee said.
He called upon local businesses to manufacture surgical masks, swab tests, saline solution, vials, N95 masks, gloves, surgical gowns and face shields.
People interested in helping can visit coronavirus.wa.gov to see how they can contribute.
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