U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) recently helped his home state secure personal protective equipment (PPE) from the Strategic National Stockpile to help prepare Kentucky’s local hospitals to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Kentucky epidemiologists last week contacted Rep. Barr with concerns that PPE stock in local hospitals would run low due to increased healthcare needs brought on by the coronavirus, according to the congressman’s office.
Rep. Barr then contacted Dr. Robert Kadlec, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to relay those concerns.
The lawmaker coordinated a formal request from the Kentucky Department for Public Health to HHS requesting that the state be given access to the Strategic National Stockpile. HHS received the request on March 13 and subsequently determined it to “meet requirements,” according to Rep. Barr’s office.
“I am thankful to Assistant Secretary Kadlec for his quick response to my request, and to the Kentucky Department for Public Health, for getting these much-needed supplies to Kentucky’s healthcare facilities for use as they work to combat COVID-19,” said Rep. Barr.
On Monday, Rep. Barr informed the Kentucky Department for Public Health that two trucks were en route to Kentucky carrying items such as masks, gloves, gowns and other critical supplies in high demand for healthcare workers.
“I stand ready to help facilitate these and similar requests from those on the front lines of this pandemic in the days and weeks ahead,” the congressman said.