More than $200 million worth of Covid-19 equipment bought by New York City to help fight the pandemic has been auctioned for a small fraction of the cost – reportedly $500,000.
The equipment includes thousands of ventilators that were commissioned by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio for $12 million and auctioned for scrap metal for less than $25,000, The City reported. The auction ended on January 24th.
A Long Island junk dealer took the entire $12 million in ventilators for only about $8 a piece, the report said.
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People queue outside a NYC Health Department clinic for a COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, in New York. The city has reportedly auctioned millions of dollars worth of COVID gear for pennies on the dollar. (AP)
An investigation by the news outlet revealed that the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) attempted to auction off millions of dollars worth of COVID-related personal protective equipment and medical supplies, including hospital gowns, hand sanitizer and N95 masks deemed suitable were deemed no longer needed.
The city’s spending early in the pandemic was intended to create a 90-day supply of medical supplies, DCAS spokesman Nick Benson told the outlet.
“Thankfully, New Yorkers and our heroic frontline medical workers came together to avert some of the worst-case scenarios,” he said.
Non-invasive respirator mask, on medical background respirator in hospital intensive care unit.
Mayor Eric Adams, who took office in 2022, said Tuesday the city’s charter requires officials to make a decision after 90 days.
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“After those 90 days, I think we have to make a decision to either auction it off, give it away or dispose of it,” he said. “That’s just a bad rule. And so, as you said, hundreds of millions of dollars are being auctioned off for $500,000.”
The city also paid higher prices for equipment, including face shields at $6.70 each, well above the median price of $3.67. On Valentine’s Day, the city auctioned 701,100 face shields with an opening bid of $1,000.