The Trump administration is weighing using special executive authority to spur the production of gear like protective masks that could be used to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the United States, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar confirmed Friday.
The White House has been discussing the use of the Defense Production Act to direct expanded production of personal protective equipment, and will not hesitate to use it if necessary, Azar told reporters in a briefing on the coronavirus at the White House.
Much of the protective equipment is currently made overseas, including in China, where the coronavirus is believed to have originated.
