What We're Reading: Northeastern States Unite on Supplies; Public Health Woes; Trump Expects More Deaths

Northeast States Form Consortium to Buy COVID-19 Supplies in Bulk

Governor Andrew Cuomo said that New York will join 6 nearby states in forming a regional supply chain of masks, gowns, ventilators, testing supplies, and other equipment to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Reported in the Associated Press, other states that are part of the consortium include Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The states want to find suppliers within the region as opposed to relying on manufacturers in China and distant countries.

Public Health Often Overlooked

Trump Revises Estimated US Death Toll to Coronavirus

While the United States is currently in both a public health crisis and healthcare crisis, an article by Kaiser Health News highlights the lack of understanding of the differences between the 2 systems. As the article notes, the public health system largely operates separately from the healthcare system, with a responsibility to care for an entire population, including monitoring variables such as clean air, clean water, effective sanitation, vaccines, and other methods of controlling infectious diseases. With public health often being overlooked, nationwide response to address this crisis could prove crucial and may affect many more lives at once.President Trump predicted that the US death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic may rise to 100,000, in contrast to his forecast weeks ago that the outbreak would be kept below the 100,000 mark. The New York Times reported that while Trump conceded that the virus has proved more devastating than he expected, he said that parks, beaches, and some businesses should begin reopening now. The US death toll from COVID-19 passed 67,000 Sunday; the pandemic has caused more than 1000 additional deaths every day since April 2.