Washington to send ventilators to New York

OLYMPIA, Wash.-- Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Sunday that the state will send more than 400 ventilators received from the Strategic National Stockpile back to the SNS inventory to help states facing higher numbers of COVID-19 cases.

"These ventilators are going to New York and other states hardest hit by this virus," Inslee said. "I’ve said many times over the last few weeks, we are in this together. This should guide all of our actions at an individual and state level in the coming days and weeks." 

Washington state continues to prepare for increased hospitalizations and the necessary treatment of serious cases of COVID-19. The state recently purchased more than 750 ventilators, which are expected to arrive over the next several weeks when Washington may need them most.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced on Twitter Saturday that the Beaver State plans to send 140 ventilators to New York.

“New York needs more ventilators, and we are answering their call for help,” Brown wrote. “We’ll be sending 140 ventilators to help NY because Oregon is in a better position right now. We must do all that we can to help those on the front lines of this response.”

New York has more than 122,000 cases of coronavirus as of Sunday, compared to 7,591 in Washington, and 1,068 in Oregon.

Inslee encouraged Washingtonians to continue to stay home, wash hands and maintain physical distancing. The data shows that current community mitigation strategies are working to slow the spread of COVID-19, and must be sustained to ensure Washington’s continued success.

“We are especially concerned that physical distancing outside the Puget Sound needs to improve to sustain our gains as more cases are diagnosed across the state. Please do your part and remember that we are all in this together,” Inslee said.