Apr 3, 2020 2 min read

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey pushed for the Trump administration to utilize the Defense Production Act to produce personal protective equipment (PPE), saying the federal government has failed to protect front-line health care workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic .

Casey’s comments came during a conference call Wednesday that included Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry.

“We need to make sure right now, no matter what it takes and no matter what it costs, we need to get that PPE to front-line health care workers,” said Casey. “These brave soldiers heading into battle, hour after hour, day after day, now week after week, without the protective equipment that they need is not only embarrassing, it is very, very dangerous, and it’s not in any way consistent with our values.”

The conference call was held the same day news broke that the government’s emergency stockpile of PPE, including N95 masks, gloves, gowns and other medical supplies, is nearly exhausted because of the coronavirus pandemic.

States and hospitals have been scrambling to compete for protective equipment, and health-care workers have put their own health and lives on the lines as they care for a surging number of COVID-19 patients using makeshift masks and gowns.

Henry said an estimated 3.5 billion masks will be needed for front-line health care workers during the pandemic.

She noted examples of health-care workers working without protective gear, storing disposable masks in paper bags to reuse, being issued PPE by administrators who are keeping the gear under lock and key, not being tested for COVID-19.

“It is imperative that the federal government immediately, and for the duration of the crisis procure, produce and provide the proper protective equipment to health-care workers.”

The conference call was organized by Protect Our Care, an advocacy group whose mission is to protect and strengthen health care.