Gun manufacturer Remington recently offered the state of New York use of their facilities to help with crucially needed medical supplies for healthcare workers on the frontlines battling the Wuhan coronavirus. The state government has yet to accept Remington's offer.
New York, and New York City in particular, has been hit hard by COVID-19. As of Thursday, the city has 47,439 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,374 deaths. Since New York has been an early hotspot, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has highlighted the state's need for personal protective equipment and medical equipment, such as ventilators.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo: "But you can't buy a ventilator right now, uh, globally. You can't buy them. We're going to have to make them or make something like them." pic.twitter.com/A08O0pNf4D
— The Hill (@thehill) March 19, 2020
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state needs ventilators so desperately that they will test splitting a ventilator between coronavirus patients. https://t.co/yPQIkLh2Oh pic.twitter.com/DPJrtD11K3
— CNN (@CNN) March 24, 2020
"Equipment and PPE is an ongoing issue."
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 26, 2020
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he "didn't know" what ventilators were a few weeks ago, apart from "cursory knowledge" - but says he "knows too much about them now".
Latest on #COVID19: https://t.co/ZAIg4xoRKO pic.twitter.com/NZa5Ekcebv
Cuomo, a strong proponent of gun control, said on March 26 the state has enough PPE for the foreseeable future, but as reports indicate, some hospitals are still experiencing critical shortages.
In a video posted on March 23, Ken D'Arcy, the CEO of Remington, said he wrote a letter to President Trump and Cuomo to say the company is willing to help with production and distribution of PPE and ventilators. The company has a plant in Ilion, totaling 1 million square feet, that is now freed up since they have been designated as a non-essential business.
"Remington products have served in every U.S. military conflict for 200 years. And while the coronavirus is a new type of war, we're not sitting this one out...We'e standing by ready, willing, and able to support in any way we possibly can. It would be an honor for our company to donate space for the manufacture of mission-critical products, such as ventilators, hospital beds, or anything else deemed necessary," D'Arcy said.
Eric Suarez, communications and media manager for Remington, told Townhall on Friday that to his knowledge, the state still has not accepted Remington's offer to help.
New York's Department of Health did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Cuomo tweeted again on Friday about the state's need for supplies and said, "If you can manufacture PPE I implore you to do so. NYS will pay a premium."
We need supplies.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 2, 2020
We need your help.
If you can manufacture PPE I implore you to do so. NYS will pay a premium.
Email Covid19supplies@esd.ny.gov