Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
“It will help ensure that needed PPE is kept in our country and gets to where it is needed to defeat the virus.”
A policy that US allies in Europe have recently slammed as ‘piracy’ is set to continue, as Washington unabashedly and unapologetically continues blocking shipments from US soil of personal protective equipment (PPE) — such as gowns, gloves, and N95 face masks — which hospitals and health workers desperately need in the fight against COVID-19.
The Hill reports that “The federal government will begin seizing exports of personal protective equipment, or PPE, until it decides if the tools should be kept in the country to fight the coronavirus.”
The announcement was made Wednesday by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), formalizing an existing controversial practice under Defense Production Act (DPA) which has recently blocked millions of masks from being exported from Minnesota-based 3M to Canada. US customs will block all respirators, surgical masks and surgical gloves from going abroad.
“FEMA and CBP are working together to prevent domestic brokers, distributors, and other intermediaries from diverting these critical medical resources overseas,” a joint statement indicated.
“Today’s order is another step in our ongoing fight to prevent hoarding, price gouging, and profiteering by preventing the harmful export of critically needed PPE,” the White House also said in a statement. “It will help ensure that needed PPE is kept in our country and gets to where it is needed to defeat the virus.”
It appears Trump’s ‘America First’ policy in action at a crucial time of crisis, as the US is the global epicenter for COVID-19, now with over 430,000 confirmed cases – most in New York state – which has witnessed hospitals running desperately low on supplies, including ventilators.
However, foreign governments have of late essentially warned ‘what goes around comes around’. Berlin Interior Minister Andreas Geisel at the start of the week stated bluntly of Washington’s brazen policy that it constitutes a Wild West tactic – essentially warning Europe can play dirty too.
https://www.zerohedge.com/health/piracy-or-america-first-us-customs-seize-all-exports-masks-gloves
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
America – the wilkd west show that has never stopped
Well president Trump always said ” America First”. That was always the case prior to his presidency anyway. No change at all.
A nothing article, a time killer that tries to make
something news, when it has no value as news.
We’re not all ‘covered in Jesus’ blood’ and immune from infection, so stories about masks actually do tweak our interest.
Under no circumstances are Americans going to allow the export of ventilators, M95 lung protectors or surgical gloves until the plague is over.
3M N95 masks are made in China. So how’s that work?
When it comes to domestic oil output, Trump ‘can’t interfere in the private marketplace’, but when it comes to masks, he can’t not interfere. Interesting.
Neither. If a ban is placed on the export of particular goods, then the US government is perfectly within its rights to enforce it. The thing they pulled in Thailand, however, is another matter entirely.
Whatever happened to Mad Magazine? They could have run a SPY Special, with CIA agents worldwide sneaking into airports in the dead of night and relabeling all medical equipment cargo as plumbing supplies, destination USA.