A standard dust & particle mask, and an N95 medical respirator mask (bottom), that are part of personal protection and survival equipment kits ordered by customers preparing against novel coronavirus, are seen at Nitro-Pak in Midway, Utah, U.S. February 27, 2020. REUTERS/George Frey
(Reuters) - Even as U.S. officials warn of an inevitable outbreak of coronavirus in the United States, and are alerting Americans to take precautions, some health agencies charged with protecting the public appear unprepared to deal with the threat.
Barely more than a handful of public health departments across the country are able to test for the novel virus, which began in China and has spread to at least 44 countries. The federal government has less than 10% of the protective masks required to protect healthcare workers and the public. And Washington still does not have adequate funding in place to support health departments' efforts, though more money is on the way.
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