American electric carmaker Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has said that the company has extra FDA-approved ventilators that can be shipped free of cost to hospitals within the company’s delivery region. Announcing the news on his social media handle, Musk confirmed that the device and shipping cost will be free, but his only requirement is that the ventilators should be immediately used for patients who need it, not stored in a warehouse. Those who need it can contact Musk of Tesla on their respective Twitter pages or other official channels.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how many ventilators it has to offer, or how the company will prioritize requests. However, while answering a Twitter user’s question regarding where did the company get the ventilators from, Musk confirmed that Tesla bought 1255 FDA-approved ResMed, Philips & Medtronic ventilators from China, and got it shipped to Los Angeles.
Yup, China had an oversupply, so we bought 1255 FDA-approved ResMed, Philips & Medtronic ventilators on Friday night & air-shipped them to LA. If you want a free ventilator installed, please let us know!
Governments across the globe have appealed to automakers and aerospace companies to help procure or make ventilators and other medical equipment amid a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 777,000 people globally and killed over 37,500. In the United States, states hard hit by the pandemic have pleaded with the Trump administration and manufacturers to speed up the production of ventilators to cope with a surge in patients.
Earlier this week, Ford Motor Co said it will produce 50,000 ventilators over the next 100 days at a plant in Michigan in cooperation with General Electric’s healthcare unit, and can then build 30,000 per month as needed to treat patients afflicted with the coronavirus.