Coronavirus IL: Feds Now Say They'll Send Ventilators, Masks

The federal government reportedly has agreed to send Illinois 300 ventilators and 250,000 N95 masks for hospitals.

The governor's office said the White House promised to send the medical equipment after Gov. J.B. Pritzker and President Trump spoke by phone Monday afternoon, according to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times published late Monday night.

Pritzker has been sharply critical of President Trump and his failure to compel manufacturers, under the Defense Production Act, to dramatically increase production of ventilators and respirator masks, which are greatly needed in the new coronavirus hotspots around the nation. Trump has countered that governors should act on their own and strike deals with private companies.

“The only way to get the president of the United States to pay attention is to go on national television and make noise about it,” Pritzker tweeted on Sunday.

As Illinois' new coronavirus case count hit 1,285 and deaths reached 12, Pritzker earlier Monday announced a partnership between biotech companies and manufacturers across the state to ramp up production of badly needed supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare providers, including N95 masks, gloves, gowns, ventilators, hand sanitizer and more.

The Essential Equipment Task Force is even repurposing facilities to meet the demand.

Pritzker said the Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) is partnering with iBIO, the Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization, to speed up production on medical equipment and supplies.

Both the IMA and iBIO are organizing medical supply donation programs from their 4,000-company and 85,000-employee memberships respectively, and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency will direct donated supplies to health care and emergency response providers across the state, prioritizing those with the most need.

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"Illinois' hospitals and nursing homes source and stock their own PPE," Pritzker said. "Our state efforts are meant to supplement those."

But, Pritzker said, "We're not just waiting for in-state production. My administration continues to work day and night to scour the global supply chain. Illinois is acquiring PPE to compensate for what we haven't received in our federal requests. But we are doing so while running up against obstacles that should not exist."

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency has distributed more than 28,400 N95 masks, more than 15,500 pairs of gloves and nearly 6,200 gowns to over a dozen county health departments, Pritzker said.

The governor also called upon businesses like tattoo parlors, nail salons and elective surgery facilities — currently closed due to the state's stay-at-home order — to reach out to his administration if they have masks or gloves to donate by emailing ppe.donations@illinois.gov.

Pritzker, who sparred with President Donald Trump on Twitter over the weekend, also took another opportunity to criticize the federal government, which has sent Illinois just a fraction of the gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, respirators and face shields Illinois has requested as the coronavirus crisis grows.

"I want to thank the elected officials across this state … Republicans and Democrats who have been calling and emailing my office with leads on supplies and potential donations," he said.