Gov. Polis Sends Letter to Vice President Pence Requesting Additional PPE to Address Shortage

Thursday, April 2, 2020

DENVER - Gov. Jared Polis discussed Colorado’s personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage at a news conference on Wednesday, April 1. On March 28, Governor Polis sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence requesting additional PPE and ventilators to address the severe shortage Colorado is facing.

“We are facing a crisis-level shortage of these essential supplies to protect our health care workers and first responders. Colorado’s COVID-19 death rate is rising faster than any other state right now; the pandemic is spreading so fast that lags in testing are masking the true conditions experienced by Coloradans across the state,” Governor Polis wrote. 

As reflected in requests to FEMA and HHS, Colorado needs:

  • 10,000 ventilators, and associated equipment and pharmaceuticals

  • 2,000,000 N95 masks

  • 4,460,000 surgical masks

  • 720,000 gowns

  • 880,000 face shields

  • 4,300,000 pair gloves -- small, medium, and large

“I am asking that you increase the ventilators and PPE that is being sent to Colorado for this critical moment, to help us safely cross the bridge ahead of us until we can start to reap the benefits of our other unprecedented procurement and manufacturing efforts,” the Governor’s letter concludes.

Read Governor Polis letter to Vice President Pence here. 

 

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