200K N95 Masks Headed To Suffolk County After Zeldin's Plea
SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — The White House is sending 200,000 N95 masks to Suffolk County Monday, where the number of new coronavirus cases continues to skyrocket.
On Sunday, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone thanked Rep. Lee Zeldin for securing that "commitment" from the White House.
Zeldin, a member of the Congressman Coronavirus Task Force, reached out for "urgent" assistance from across the country after he was informed by county officials that Suffolk County’s stockpile of personal protective equipment was out of surgical masks, N95 masks, gowns, face shields and body bags.
We have ~25k coronavirus cases in Suffolk/Nassau. Suffolk’s stockpile has NO surgical masks, reg sized n95 masks, gowns, face shields or body bags. Other items are low. We need fellow Americans who can help to PLEASE send us PPE ASAP! Email me at CongressmanZeldin1@mail.house.gov
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) April 5, 2020
This weekend, Suffolk County Steve Bellone said, with a staggering 175 deaths reported countywide, and a total of 13,363 confirmed cases of coronavirus as Monday morning — supplies were depleted. "Today, in the county, we are out," he said Saturday. "We are down to zero."
President Donald Trump announced that the White House would send 200,000 N95 masks to Suffolk County at Zeldin's request; the masks expected to be delivered Monday at no cost to Suffolk County.
Zeldin said he also received multiple direct offers to help, including one within minutes of his pleas from senior advisor Jared Kushner, senior advisor to Trump and Trump's son-in-law.
Kushner told Zeldin he was interested in helping Suffolk County secure all PPE needs for the next 30 days, Zeldin said.
Working with Bellone and his office, Zeldin said he sent details of needed PPE to Kushner and also described Suffolk County’s situation with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
Signed, sealed, delivered-Earlier today, 150,000 surgical masks were delivered to Suffolk County for our great hospital workers & other front line warriors. Tomorrow, 200,000 n95 masks will arrive to Suffolk after the announcement tonight by @realDonaldTrump! One team, one fight! pic.twitter.com/gfN85TNXmX
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) April 6, 2020
“We must do everything in our power to ensure our medical professionals, first responders, law enforcement and other essential workers are able to do their jobs while being able to protect their own health, and the health of others, including their precious family members, and I thank President Trump and Jared Kushner for stepping up to the plate for Suffolk County,” said Zeldin. “We are all in this fight together, and I am encouraged by the administration’s swift, effective and immediate response to Suffolk County’s urgent need of PPE."
This article originally appeared on the Shirley-Mastic Patch
