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Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards warned on CNN this morning that his state may end up running out of needed ventilators before the end of the week.
“We now think it’s probably around the 9th of April before we exceed our ventilator capacity, based on the current number on hand, and that we’re a couple of days behind that on ICU bed capacity being exceeded,” he told Jake Tapper.
He emphasized the need for people to keep following social distancing guidelines, adding, “And whatever time we can buy ourselves, that gives us additional time to surge our medical capacity, which is what we’re doing right now as we source ventilators from the Strategic National Stockpile and from around the world.”
After Edwards reiterated that April 9th projection, Tapper said, “It’s still stunning.”
At one point he questioned Edwards on the Mardi Gras parades that took place weeks ago and whether he would have cancelled them in hindsight. Edwards said, “You don’t get a do-over like that, Jake. There was not a single suggestion by anyone, a doctor, a scientist, a political figure, that we needed to cancel Mardi Gras. And, you know, in February, we had a Super Bowl, and it wasn’t canceled and so forth.”
Tapper also asked Edwards about the Louisiana pastor defying public orders and continuing to hold large services after being charged. Tony Spell insisted this morning, “We do have a command from God, and there are no governing bodies that can tell us we cannot gather and worship freely.”
Edwards called Spell’s actions “grossly irresponsible,” noting how the overwhelming majority of churches in his state are following the guidelines to help reduce risk to congregations and communities.
You can watch above, via CNN.