WA Sending 400 Ventilators To States With More Coronavirus Cases

SEATTLE, WA — Washington state will return more than 400 ventilators it received from the federal government in an effort to help other states deal with more severe outbreaks of the new coronavirus, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Sunday.

Washington received 500 ventilators last month from the Strategic National Stockpile after requesting 1,000, the Seattle Times reported. They will go to New York and other states where COVID-19 cases have rapidly spiked, according to Inslee.

These ventilators are not meant to treat COVID-19 patients, but can be used to treat other patients, allowing hospitals to reserve their higher-pressure ventilators for those with COVID-19, according to the Times.

"I’ve said many times over the last few weeks, we are in this together," Inslee said in a statement. "This should guide all of our actions at an individual and state level in the coming days and weeks."

Washington is expected to hit its peak in coronavirus cases toward the end of April, according to experts. To prepare for the surge, the state has already purchased more than 750 ventilators, which are expected to arrive "over the next several weeks," Inslee said Sunday.

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Washington's outbreak has been less severe than initially expected, Dr. Raquel Bono, director of Washington's COVID-19 Health System Response Management, said in a statement. Bono said she she consulted with Inslee to decide how Washington could help other states where infections threaten to grow out of control.

"Our current status allows us to help others who have a more immediate need," Bono said.

Social distancing is still critical to avoid worsening the outbreak in Washington, health officials have stressed. Last week, Inslee extended the state's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order through at least May 4, saying the worst of the virus was still to come.

Every state in America is united in the fight to save the lives of our people. Though our mission is the same, our needs are different.

Today, Washington is returning 400 ventilators so states like New York and others can have them.#WeGotThisWA #StayHomeStayHealthy
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) April 5, 2020