An initiative to provide Americans with free face coverings has run out of supplies, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
WASHINGTON — An initiative to provide Americans with free face coverings has run out of supplies, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The shortfall comes as the nation struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed nearly 130,000 people in the United States.
Project: America Strong was initiated by the federal government to distribute “reusable cotton face coverings to critical infrastructure sectors, companies, healthcare facilities, and faith-based and community organizations across the country to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” according to the project’s website.
The document reveals that the Transportation Security Administration, whose agents oversee security checkpoints at the nation’s airports, also faces a potential shortfall in face coverings. “TSA remains susceptible to shortages in critical PPE items caused by strain and unreliability of the supply chain, particularly for surgical masks,” reads one item from the document. “PPE” refers to personal protective equipment, a category that customarily includes face coverings, gloves and hand sanitizer.
Earlier this month, three leading Senate Democrats — Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Chuck Schumer of New York — charged that Project Air Bridge “has been marked by delays, incompetence, confusion, and secrecy.”
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