The Issue

Everyone needs a mask to protect against COVID-19. However, even frontline health care workers (HCW) are having trouble getting masks due to the national shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). There are solutions to produce and equitably distribute masks: President Trump can expand the use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) or Congress can pass the Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act.

Background

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that health care workers (HCW) wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including N95 respirators or surgical masks, while caring for patients with COVID-19.

  • The CDC recommends that all people wear at least a cloth face mask in public settings to slow the spread of COVID-19.

  • Our nation is experiencing a severe shortage of masks.

  • Much of the manufacturing sector would prefer federal safeguards, such as low-cost loans and protection from litigation, and incentives, such as guarantees from buyers, rather than risk potential legal and economic consequences from producing masks and other forms of PPE without protections the DPA can provide.

  • President Trump invoked the DPA on April 3rd, 2020, for only one company, 3M. However, this falls far short of our country's ongoing demand for masks. The DPA must be expanded to include a broader sector of the U. S. manufacturing industry.

  • If President Trump does not use the DPA now, then Congress must pass the Medical Supply Chain Emergency Act. However, passing new legislation will require time, and may cost lives.

Action

  • On Saturday, May 2nd at 11am PDT/2pm EDT, Masks 4 Our Lives will kick off with a speaker program that includes leading national figures on our Facebook Event page tinyurl.com/masks4ourlives

  • March with us virtually on social media! Marchers will call on the federal administration to use the DPA to STEP UP production of masks and other PPE. Use #masks4ourlives and #needmaskstoday

  • Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @NeedMasksToday  and on Instagram @Need_Masks_Today

Contact

For questions, please email: info@needmasks.today