The U.S. reportedly didn't take up a January offer that would have led to the production of 1.7 million masks per week
The United States government had an opportunity when there was seemingly still time to curb the coronavirus pandemic to strike a deal with a manufacturer that could have produced an additional 1.7 million N95 masks per week, The Washington Post reports. But, ultimately, the money wasn't there.
Michael Bowen, the vice president of Prestige Ameritech who has reportedly been warning about American mask shortages for years, wrote to administrators in the Department of Health and Human Services in January that he was willing to take the "very difficult and very expensive" step of re-activating four dormant machines should the coronavirus situation become dire. If the company did that, they would have been able to produce an additional 1.7 million masks per day, and Bowen wanted the government to get first dibs, even though his phones were reportedly ringing off the hook. The productions lines remain untouched.
Bowen apparently caught the attention of Dr. Rick Bright, who was recently removed as the head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, but no one else was on board (Bright briefly mentioned Bowen's proposal in his whistleblower complaint about HHS last week).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
White House economic adviser Peter Navarro said Prestige was "extremely difficult to work and communicate with," but an anonymous official told the Post that the "prescient" Bowen has a "legitimate beef. The "reality," the official said, is that HHS "didn't have the money to do it at the time." Read more at The Washington Post.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 21, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - devilish decrees, biblical blunders, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 carefully selected cartoons about the Trump-Daniels jury selection process
Cartoons Artists take on a stress-free life, rare peers, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Loire Valley Lodges review: sleep, feast and revive in treetop luxury
The Week Recommends Forest hideaway offers chance to relax and reset in Michelin key-winning comfort
By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published