Fed agencies warn 'reopening too soon could exhaust nation's reserves'

GRACE PANETTA-BUSINESS INSIDER

Federal agencies are sounding the alarm behind closed doors that reopening too soon could have catastrophic consequences. 

Wednesday, Politico reported that over the past few weeks officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have warned in a series of phone calls that the US' current stockpiles of medical equipment and gear are not adequate to handle another surge in COVID-19 cases. 

There are 1.2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States and over 71,000 reported deaths from the disease as of Wednesday morning. 

Politico said in audio recordings of April 24 and May 1 government calls, officials from FEMA warned that several regions and medical providers in many regions of the country are running dangerously low on hospital gowns and other gear, with one official representing the southeast saying on May 1, "our main PPE shortfalls continue to be along the lines of gloves and gowns."

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