City preps for coronavirus: not enough masks, plenty of beds, says de Blasio
CDC still not allowing New York City to do its own testing for coronavirus
Mayor Bill de Blasio and city health officials said New York City has distributed 1.5 million surgical masks to hospitals and first responders, but that falls short of what would be needed to manage an outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
The city has requested 300,000 additional masks from the federal government and other localities, but the waiting list is long, the mayor said at a press conference at City Hall on Wednesday.
“Everyone is competing for masks,” de Blasio said. “If the normal private sector can’t get them to us, the federal government will have to step in.”