Washington: The government's stockpile of critically needed medical supplies and equipment is nearly drained just as the numbers of people infected with the coronavirus and in need of critical care is surging. Back in January, the first alarms were sounding about the outbreak in China. In time, it would become a global pandemic.
Read also: After the virus: What world will we live in?
An Associated Press review has found that the Trump administration squandered precious months before bolstering the federal stockpile of urgently needed medical supplies and equipment.
A timeline of events in the administration's response to the outbreak:
Dec. 31 — Chinese health officials alerted the world of a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases of unknown cause, in the first report from Wuhan.
Jan. 9 — The World Health Organization issued the first public advisory about the preliminary determination of novel coronavirus.
Read also: Boris Johnson admitted to hospital for COVID-19 tests
Jan. 10 — Former White House homeland security adviser Tom Bossert, who was ousted by President Donald Trump in 2018, warned in a tweet, "We face a global health threat. ... Coordinate!"
Jan. 18 — Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar made the first call to Trump about the virus.
Jan. 20 — The first patient with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, was confirmed in the U.S.
Jan. 22 — In a televised interview, Trump said, "We have it totally under control. It's one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It's going to be just fine."
Jan. 28 — 3M CEO Mike Roman said that the company will ramp up to the "24/7" production of N95 respirator masks in response to the threat.
Jan. 31 — The US declared a public health emergency, suspends entry of foreign nationals who have been in China in the past 14 days. US residents and their family members are still allowed to enter.
Feb. 7 — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the government had airlifted nearly 18 tons of donated respirator masks, surgical masks, gowns and other medical supplies to China.
Feb. 15 — Trump, vacationing in Florida, played golf at his Trump International club in West Palm Beach.
Feb. 23 — The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported community spread of the virus in California, Oregon and Washington state.
Feb. 24 — White House sent Congress a $2.5 billion emergency request for coronavirus outbreak. Trump tweeted, "The coronavirus is very much under control in the US. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!"
Feb. 25 — The CDC warned that it expects COVID-19 to spread in the US at the community level, and that the disruptions to daily life could be "severe". The CDC also recommended that parents should discuss the possibility of school closures and that businesses should consider telecommuting options.
Feb. 26 — Trump appointed vice president Mike Pence to lead the US government's Coronavirus Task Force. Trump said, "Because of all we've done, the risk to the American people remains very low. … When you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero."
Feb. 27 — At a White House reception, Trump said, "It's going to disappear. One day, it's like a miracle, it will disappear."
Feb. 29 — At the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland, Trump promotes his administration's response to the virus, saying his decision to impose travel restrictions "has been now given very good grades, like an A +++."
Mar. 3 — Dr. Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, testified before Congress last month that the country would need roughly 3.5 billion N-95 respirators to get through the pandemic, but the national supply chain then had just about 1% of that amount.
Mar. 4 — HHS announced that its intent to purchase 500 million N95 respirators for distribution through the national stockpile over the following 18 months.
Mar. 5 — Congress passed $8.3 billion emergency bill for coronavirus — more than three times the amount originally requested by White House.
Mar. 6 — Trump visited the CDC lab in Atlanta to admit widespread reports that patients exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms can't get tested. Trump falsely asserts: "Anyone who wants a test can get a test." He then departed for weekend at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida.
Mar. 7-8 — Trump played golf twice in two days at the Trump International Club.
Mar 9 — Trump tweeted: "The fake news media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the coronavirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, 'The risk is low to the average American."
Mar 11 — WHO officially declared COVID-19 outbreak to be a global pandemic. There are then 1,18,000 cases in 114 countries, with 4,291 deaths. In the US, the CDC reported 938 confirmed cases spread across 38 states, with 29 deaths.
Mar 12 — Federal contracting records had shown that HHS made its first big purchase of N95 respirator masks since the start of the pandemic, a $4.8 million order with 3M, the largest US-based manufacturer. The masks are due for delivery by April 30. Trump says of the virus: "It's going to go away."
Mar 13 — Trump declared a national emergency.
Mar 21 — HHS placed another $173 million order with 3M for N95 respirator masks. The contract runs through October 2021.
Mar 22 — In a statement, 3M CEO said that company has doubled its global output of N95 masks to nearly 100 million per month. Royal Philips, a Dutch company with plants in the US, said that it is ramping up the production of hospital ventilators and plans to double production within eight weeks. The company is then making 1,000 ventilators per week in the U.S.
Mar 24 — Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., estimated New York would need a "minimum" of 30,000 additional ventilators to meet the peak of the outbreak, predicted to arrive by the middle of April.
Mar 27 — Trump announced that he was using his power under Defence Production Act for the first time to order General Motors to begin manufacturing ventilators — work the company had already announced was underway. Trump pledged that the federal government will ensure that 1,00,000 new ventilators are made available "within the next 100 days".
April 2 — Trump threatened in a Tweet to "hit 3M hard" through a DPA order, saying the company "will have a big price to pay!" The president also said that he will order several companies, including Philips, to increase the production of ventilators.
AP
