The feds ordered 100,000 new body bags for possible coronavirus victims in what officials called preparations for a “worst-case” scenario as the pandemic continues, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
The order— placed last week by the Federal Emergency Management Agency — for “human remains pouches” comes on top of a previous order for an initial 100,000, and as the US death toll was expected to top 60,000 by Thursday.
President Trump on Monday said he expected the pandemic could cost 60,000 to 70,000 lives in the US.
Some state governors have moved to start reopening businesses, citing encouraging trends of slowing infection and mortality rates.
The order for 100,000 body bags, costing $5.1 million, was placed April 21, The Journal reported, citing federal contracting databases.
The supplier is a small California company that is supposed to deliver the bags by Monday, according to the contracting data.
A FEMA spokeswoman told the paper the agency was focused on a “worst possible case national scenario” from the start of the federal response effort.
“In order to meet the worst-case demand models, FEMA initiated a broad range of acquisition contracts to augment available stocks and produce more human-remains pouches for future requirements should they be needed,” she said.
The 100,000 comes after the Defense Department earlier this month said that FEMA asked the military to provide 100,000 body bags for civilian use, Bloomberg News reported.
The spokeswoman said the agency has allocated shipments from the earlier DOD contract to hot spots, determined by mortality rates and state requests.
She said newer orders are to prepare “should there be any fall resurgence or need to respond to other disasters.”
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