California strikes deal to buy 200 million masks a month, says Gavin Newsom
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom left TV host Rachel Maddow stunned Tuesday night when he said on her show that he "inked a deal" for the state to buy 200 million masks a month.
"You are making significant news here, governor," Maddow said.
Newsom explained the mask windfall is the result of a consortium of nonprofits and a California company that will be manufacturing mostly N95 masks overseas, and supplying the needs of California residents and workers, as well as possibly those in other Western states.
NEWS: Gov. Gavin Newsom: California has inked deal for 200 million masks (150 million N95, 50 million surgical) per month, enough to meet state's needs and potentially export to other states pic.twitter.com/mmMRZYOrLq
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) April 8, 2020
Newsom said the state has faced price-gouging while competing against other states, the federal government and other nations for masks. Since the start of the coronavirus crisis, the state has distributed 41 million masks, and of those, 1 million came from the federal government.
"We were going out and getting five million here, 500,000 there, 200,000 there, and competing against other states, competing against the federal government," Newsom said. "We decided enough of this small ball. Let's use our purchasing power. Let's go at scale."
"We’re not waiting around any longer," Newsom added.
Newsom said the state can expect about 150 million N95 masks and 50 million surgical masks to be delivered to the state within a couple weeks.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.
- Cell phone data reveals which California counties are not socially distancing
- Bay Area may be seeing 'early signs of flattening,' but it's too early to know for sure, experts say
- Should we all be wearing masks in public? CDC reportedly reconsidering guidance
- Here's how much money you're set to receive under the $2 trillion aid package
- Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco
- Why clerks won't bag your reusable tote at Safeway, other stores any more
- What should you do if a member of your household gets COVID-19?
- Why it's so hard to avoid touching your face: an investigation
- Vexing questions about COVID-19 scientists still can't answer
- Why the oldest restaurant in San Francisco refuses to lay off a single employee
- How to deal with anxiety during coronavirus, according to therapists
- 'It has not been enough': Bay Area parents on first week of distance learning
- Can you leave your county if a shelter-in-place order is in effect in the Bay Area?
- How 'flatten the curve' works in the coronavirus pandemic
- How a mild case of the novel coronavirus can quickly turn deadly
- Study shows how easily coronavirus can potentially spread
- The two most common symptoms in coronavirus patients
- Does smoking/vaping put you at a higher risk of coronavirus?
- How coronavirus compares to epidemics of the past
- Out of hand sanitizer? Here's how to make your own
- Why Taiwan's COVID-19 death rate is shockingly low
Amy Graff is a digital editor. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.