Trump Uses Defense Production Act as US Faces Shortage of COVID-19 Test Kits

The Trump Administration invoked the Defense Production Act on Tuesday to increase access to coronavirus test units.

Peter Gaynor, the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, said Tuesday on CNN that the administration had decided to use the Defense Production Act because “there are some test kits we need to get our hands on.” He said the federal government was also inserting “DPA language” into its mass contract for 500 million masks.

The moves comes as many states have complained about shortages and lack of availabilty of medical supplies, COVID-19 swabs and viles for testing among them.

Earlier in the day, President Trump said on twitter that the Defense Production Act was in 'full force' but that his hand hadn't been forced into action because ''no one has said No! Millions of masks coming as back up to States,'' her wrote:

Meanwhile, CNN reported on twitter that Ford, General Electric and 3M were collaborating to address the medical supply shortage:

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