Massachusetts General Hospital has a warehouse full of emergency supplies in preparation for emergency situations, such as one the novel coronavirus outbreak may soon present, NBC News reported.
The Boston-based hospital's warehouse is full of boxes containing IV fluid, medical gloves and protective gowns with the label "pandemic product."
Paul Biddinger, MD, chief of the division of emergency preparedness, told NBC the hospital is trying to hold off using the supplies for as long as possible. The hospital is preparing for a surge in patients as well as for potential supply shortages caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Dr. Biddinger told NBC he and his team have been working to determine which drugs are most likely to be affected by the outbreak and whether those drugs have alternatives.
The FDA said Feb. 27 that one drug is currently in shortage due to the outbreak, but declined to identify which drug or the drug's maker.
Some resources at Massachusetts General are already running low, NBC reported, including N95 respirators used by medical professionals to stop the spread of airborne viruses.
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