Northeast states band together to buy protective gear

Seven northeast states will band together to buy personal protective equipment and other medical supplies needed amid the coronavirus pandemic, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced on Sunday. 

Cuomo said the move will help states get the equipment he and other state leaders have said for weeks is difficult to obtain.

“[This] will make us more competitive in the international market place, and I believe it will save taxpayers money. I also believe it will help us actually get the equipment, because I have trouble still getting the equipment, and just buying the equipment,” Cuomo said during a briefing Sunday. 

“These vendors on the other side they’re dealing with countries, they’re dealing with the federal government. Why should they do business with one state, right, when they can do business with an entire country? So this consortium I think will help us get the equipment and get it at a better price,” he added. 

The consortium includes New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. 

#BREAKING: NY, NJ, CT, PA, DE, RI and MA are launching a regional purchasing consortium to jointly procure PPE, tests, ventilators and other medical equipment.

This will increase our market power and help prevent price-gouging.

States are stronger when we work together.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 3, 2020

Cuomo said the northeast states will share information regarding vendors “found to be irresponsible,” based on past orders. 

He said the states will also look to purchase from vendors in the U.S. and in the northeast region, when possible. 

New York and New Jersey are the two hardest-hit states by the coronavirus pandemic, with 316,415 and 126,744 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, respectively, based on state data.