Although the US Strategic National Stockpile—a collection of medications, medical devices, and vaccines, among other tools—distributed supplies such as personal protective equipment within the first 3 months of 2020, its ability to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic fell short due to internal and external factors, according to an audit conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General. Due to these factors, “the Stockpile could not meet demand and was not equipped to handle the COVID-19 pandemic,” the investigators concluded.
Source: JAMA Online First