Ohio recently received a shipment of personal protective equipment from the federal Strategic National Stockpile, but state Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said it’s not nearly enough.

"The supplies we received, and the state’s reserve will not meet the immediate or future needs of Ohio’s healthcare providers and first responders," Acton said in a release Tuesday night.

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What Ohio received from the federal strategic stockpile was: 271,450 N95 masks, 672,100 surgical masks, 131,808 face shields, 107,670 gowns, 483,575 pairs of gloves and 552 coveralls.

The personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies will be distributed to counties around the state, Acton said. The supplies are needed for the protection of health-care providers, emergency medical service first responders, long-term care workers and law enforcement.

"This shortage is why our message has been to conserve," Acton said. "Industries with PPE are encouraged to donate what they have to their local Emergency Management Agencies."

Ohio was one of the early states to request the PPE supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile in its battle with the COVID-19 crisis, the state health department said. The state’s overall stock is always in flux as supplies are going in and out from different vendors.

Shortly after the Ohio Department of Health release, the re-election campaign of President Donald Trump issued a news release touting the coronavirus supplies being sent to states. It said a plane would be "landing in Ohio in the next 24 hours."

"PROMISE KEPT: The Trump Administration is Delivering Critical Medical Supplies to Health Workers," the release said. "Ventilators and masks are being delivered to help America’s front line health care workers thanks to President Trump’s mobilization efforts."

The campaign added: "President Trump is mobilizing the full force of the federal government to get health care workers the supplies they need to combat the coronavirus."

The allocation of supplies to Ohio was done in consultation with the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The increase in people suffering from respiratory symptoms from coronavirus as well as pneumonia is straining the supply of PPE nationwide, the health department said.

Ohio is not expected to reach its peak with the spread of COVID-19 until mid to late April. Acton has said the state could see as many as 10,000 new cases per day then.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit coronavirus.ohio.gov.

jwoods@dispatch.com

@Woodsnight