CA Sends Oxygen Supplies To Coronavirus-Devastated India

CALIFORNIA — The Golden State will send "life-saving oxygen equipment" to India, a country that is in the midst of a rapidly spreading surge, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday evening.

California has joined several other states in the U.S. effort to render aid to India following a call to the White House for help. The Biden administration on Sunday said it would provide more medical aid to the country including materials for vaccine production, test kits, ventilators and protective equipment.

"When communities across the world need help, California steps up. As we surpass 28 million vaccinations and continue to see the lowest positivity rates in the country, we must meet this moment with compassion by aiding those that are hardest hit by this pandemic," Newsom said.

The country has become the global coronavirus epicenter, according to multiple reports. The country reported 346,786 new cases in 24 hours earlier this week and now has the world's highest daily death toll, Al Jazeera reported.

"Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need," National Security Council Spokesperson Emily Horne wrote in a statement on Sunday.

The Golden State — once the country's own coronavirus epicenter — has reported a 1.2 percent positivity rate and has now fully vaccinated more than a third of its adult population. Due to these promising metrics, Newsom said the state is on its way to reopening and therefore has the capacity to send supplies elsewhere.

The U.S. Agency for International Development has coordinated the transfer of supplies from California. Those supplies will directly be placed in the hands of front-line doctors, the governor said in a statement.

"Everyone deserves quality medical treatment against this terrible disease, and California will answer the call and provide aid to the people of India who so desperately need it," Newsom said.

But Newsom also assured that the state has still held onto a "robust" state stockpile to respond to any outbreaks that could occur, as a looming surge out of the Midwest threatens the progress of other states.

Oxygen is India's biggest need as its hospital system nearly collapsed this week. Hospitals were rationing oxygen for patients, NPR reported.

California was slated to send the following supplies to India, according to the state:

• 275 Oxygen Concentrators: Concentrates the oxygen from a gas supply by selectively removing nitrogen to supply an oxygen-enriched product gas stream. These units are capable of producing 10 liters per minute of oxygen supplied directly to patients via a mask.
• 440 Oxygen Cylinders: These are large metal cylinders designed to store oxygen that are used for both hospital and at-home use.
• 240 Oxygen Regulators: The high-flow oxygen regulators for H tanks are used to adjust and control the rate of oxygen flow. These devices provide for greater efficiency in the rate at which oxygen is delivered to patients.

• 210 Pulse Oximeters: Small sensors generally clipped to the finger, toe or ear lobe that measure the oxygen saturation within an individual’s blood to determine whether they are getting enough oxygen into their bloodstream.
• 1 Deployable Oxygen Concentrator Systems: Capable of producing 120 liters per minute of oxygen and is generally used to fill large cylinders.

Coronavirus Data In California As Of Tuesday

• California has 3,633,185 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

• There were 1,445 newly recorded confirmed cases.

• The 7-day positivity rate is 1.2%.

• There have been 59,484,125 tests conducted in California.

• There have been 60,208 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

• 28,682,914 vaccine doses