U.S. orders 100,000 more body bags, preparing for coronavirus worst: deaths now exceed 61,300

A FEMA spokeswoman said the agency has been focused on a “worst possible case national scenario” from the start of the 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 Defense Department earlier this month said that FEMA asked it to provide 100,000 body bags for civilian use, Bloomberg News reported. The latest purchase is separate from that request, the agency said.

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.” FEMA took over pandemic response coordination from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department in mid-March, and since then has signed more than 100 contracts for items such as personal protective equipment, Covid-19 test kits and diapers for food banks, contracting data shows.  –WSJ