On Monday, South Florida ABC affiliate WPLG first reported that 300 ventilators were expected to be delivered by day’s end “to replace expended state stores,” citing a planning document from the Department of Health and Human Services. But Gov. Ron DeSantis cast doubt on the report, claiming that he was not aware of the shipment.
Asked about the ventilators on Tuesday, DeSantis stumbled and told reporters: “I’m not — I didn’t ask, I don’t know. I did not know about that. I have not heard about that, so I’d have to check to see whether that’s true or not. I would honestly doubt that that’s true, but I’ll look. We have a lot of stuff that we stockpiled over the last year-and a half through the department of emergency management. I have not had any requests across my desk. I haven’t been notified of that.”
However, CNN’s Amara Walker on Wednesday called out the Trump-loving Republican by reporting that “Despite what Gov. Ron DeSantis says, we know from a health administration official that 200 ventilators were sent to Florida earlier this week from the Strategic National Stockpile.”
Walker went on to note that nine out of 10 ICU beds in Florida are currently occupied, and said children’s hospitals in the state are “overwhelmed.”
“The concern is this from health officials: They’re saying look, if (pediatric ICUs) are full right now before school seven starts, what’s going to happen when school’s in session?”
Watch DeSanti’s remarks and CNN report in the video below:
