Preventing Hoarding of Health and Medical Resources To Respond to the Spread of COVID-19

What it means

This order delegates authority to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to prevent hoarding of essential medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It enables the government to designate certain items as scarce materials and regulate their distribution to ensure healthcare systems have necessary resources.

Expected impact

• Improved availability of critical health supplies like personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and facilities
• Prevention of price gouging on essential medical items during the pandemic
• Enhanced government ability to monitor supply chains and distribution of medical resources
• Potential penalties for individuals or businesses found hoarding designated medical supplies
• Greater stability in medical supply markets during the public health emergency