A recent article from the Sacramento Bee claims that Elon Musk’s ventilator scheme, which the Bee mocks as a “move fast and fake things” plan, is a “fiasco” that shows that California Governor Gavin Newsom’s work to fight the Chinese virus needs serious oversight. Although Newsom applauded Musk’s plan to deliver ventilators in California, no hospitals have yet received machines.
The Sacramento Bee writes in a recent article that on March 23, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced that Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk was donating over 1,000 ventilators to California, but since then no California hospital has received them.
Breitbart News reported earlier this month that Musk purchased Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BPAP) machines which he then stuck Tesla stickers on and shipped to New York, but these machines are used to treat sleep apnea and are not the “invasive” type of ventilators needed to treat those suffering from the Wuhan coronavirus. True Ventilators can cost upwards of $50,000, the machines Musk delivered cost $800.
The Sacramento Bee writes:
The Musk debacle shows why the California State Legislature must nail down the details of Newsom’s billion-dollar plan to buy 400 million masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) items needed to slow the coronavirus’ spread. Newsom made national headlines when he announced the plan on The Rachel Maddow Show last week. He also surprised his counterparts in the Legislature, most of whom learned of the deal from MSNBC.
In a letter to Newsom, State Sen. Holly Mitchell (D) wrote: “In light of the massive spending commitments made for PPE and other medical equipment, I request that the Administration launch, no later than early next week, a regularly updated webpage that describes the state’s inventory of each major type of equipment and the destinations of each outgoing shipment, including quantities shipped by county, city, and categories of users including health facilities and other essential workers.”
The Sacramento Bee editorial board continues:
No one can blame Newsom for doing everything possible to secure the equipment California needs to lower COVID-19’s death toll. But he also has a responsibility to be honest and transparent. His failure to set the record straight on Musk’s apparently empty ventilator promise – after grandly announcing it – erodes trust.
It’s understandable that the governor wishes to innovate and disrupt – to “move fast and break things,” as they say in Silicon Valley. But Newsom hurried to get in front of the TV cameras without worrying about the details, making his big Musk announcement look more like a case of “move fast and fake things.”
Read the full article in the Sacramento Bee here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com
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