White House, FEMA prepare PPE shipments to nursing homes in Delaware

Under direction of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, FEMA is coordinating two shipments totaling a 14-day supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to nearly 15,000 nursing homes across the country, including locations in Lewes and Wilmington.

On April 30, Vice President Pence, leader of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate shipments of personal protective equipment (PPE) to more than 15,000 nursing homes across America.

The shipments will provide a 14-day supply of PPE to staff working in the nursing homes. Delaware will receive shipments to two nursing home locations in the state, one in Lewes and the other in Wilmington.

FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor stated the agency will send the first shipments with a seven-day supply starting in May, and a second wave in early June. In total, FEMA will distribute 608,000 pieces of eye protection, 6.9 million masks, 6.4 million gowns, and 31.4 million pairs of gloves.

Vice President Pence visited Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Alexandria, VA to deliver one of these shipments of PPE. At the event, the Vice President stated, “This is one installment of deliveries that will go from FEMA to 15,400 nursing homes across the country…And it’s the first of two installments that will be delivered literally around the country.”

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Seema Verma also spoke on the effort to help deliver PPE to nursing homes across the country at the Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center: “I think today’s effort really speaks to the whole-of-government approach. We really appreciate the President’s leadership and the Vice President around the Task Force.”