Andrew Cuomo, N.Y. gov.: Ventilators are to coronavirus fight what ‘missiles were to WWII’

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday said ventilators are critical to winning the fight against the coronavirus, saying they are “to this war what missiles were to World War II.”

“It’s ventilators, ventilators, ventilators — that is the greatest need,” Mr. Cuomo said.

Ventilators are machines that help people breathe when they cannot do it on their own. The coronavirus and its disease, COVID-19, cause respiratory distress, so they’re critical as hospitals build up capacity.

Mr. Cuomo said if any health department in the state is not using its ventilator or it isn’t vital to their operations, “we want it.”

“We will purchase it from you. You could lend it to us, but we need ventilators,” he said.

There are roughly 170,000 ventilators in the country, according to a New York Times report, though it might not be enough as coronavirus infections blanket the U.S.

Italy’s case count has overrun its capacity, reportedly forcing doctors to make snap decisions about who gets a ventilator — and who lives or dies.

Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, cited those reports in calling on the Trump administration Friday to use the Defense Production Act to compel the production of ventilators to meet U.S. demand.

“I urge you to exercise these delegated powers to the fullest extent necessary to ensure that healthcare facilities across the country have the ventilators they need to treat all patients who become critically ill with this virus,” Mr. Cruz wrote to Health Secretary Alex Azar.

President Trump said Friday he’s invoked his war-scale production powers but then said he hasn’t forced any company to start work just yet. He said many companies are volunteering.

Mr. Cuomo said he can’t force firms to make hospital products, including masks and gowns, but can offer financial incentives.

“We will pay a premium for these products,” Mr. Cuomo said.

He also said companies that normally don’t make protective masks or gowns should start doing it if they are able.

“They’re not complicated. A mask is not a complicated item to make,” Mr. Cuomo said. “If you can make them, we will give you funding to do it.”

Mr. Cuomo said he’ll probably get that gear, but ventilators remain the key prize.

“We need ventilators, that is the key piece of equipment,” he said. “We can get the beds, we’ll get the supplies by hook or by crook, but a ventilator’s a specific piece of equipment. These are people with a respiratory illness. We need the ventilators.”