California to buy 200 million masks a month amid outbreak

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California plans to spend nearly $1 billion to buy up to 200 million masks each month to boost its stockpile of protective gear during the COVID-19 outbreak, an eye-popping figure meant to turn the state into a distributor of medical equipment for other Western states struggling with supply shortages.

Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcement on Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC show Tuesday night. On Wednesday, Newsom announced the state had its largest daily increase of COVID-19 deaths with 68.

“As a nation-state with a capacity to write a check for hundreds of millions — no, billions of dollars — we are in a position to do something bold and big that could be a catalyst to increase supply,” Newsom said.

State officials have signed a contract with BYD North America to deliver the masks, chosen in part because it is a subsidiary of a company based in China, where much of the personal protective gear is made.

The order will include about 150 million N95 masks, which are tightfitting and designed to protect against particles in the air. The other 50 million masks will be surgical masks, which are loose-fitting and protect against fluids.

California taxpayers will pay $495 million upfront for the masks. The state will pay more as other shipments arrive, with a total estimated payment of $990 million, according to a letter the Newsom administration sent to the Legislature.

The money comes from a portion of the $1 billion aid package the Legislature approved last month, plus another $1.3 billion disaster response emergency fund that Newsom has the authority to spend.

Newsom signed an executive order on Tuesday eliminating sales and other taxes on masks, gloves, eye protection, gowns and other materials. It applies to such materials when they are sold to or purchased by the state.

California has already ordered $1.4 billion worth of personal protective equipment and distributed 41.4 million N95 masks. But the state has had trouble finding enough masks to meet the needs of its nearly 40 million residents. One shipment from Texas had to be sent back because the masks carried mold, Newsom said.

The state also plans to start cleaning masks so health workers can re-use them by partnering with Battelle, an Ohio-based company that says it can clean up to 80,000 masks per day. The masks can be used up to 20 times each, Newsom said.