The founder of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, said on Twitter that his factories will switch to producing artificial lung ventilation devices (ventilators) in case of a shortage due to the outbreak of coronavirus infection.
These devices are used in the treatment of patients with coronavirus who have severe complications of the respiratory system.
Commenting on Musk's announcement, FiveThirtyEight editor-in-chief Nate Silver asked in a tweet: "There's a shortage now, how many ventilators are you making @elonmusk?"
In response, Elon Musk explained that Tesla and SpaceX produce complex equipment, and ventilation systems are much simpler, but their production cannot be started immediately. βFans are not complicated, but they cannot be manufactured instantly. Which hospitals have the shortage you are talking about now?β asked the head of Tesla and SpaceX.
A February report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said the U.S. has about 170 ventilators, with 000 ventilators ready for use in hospitals and about 160 in the national stockpile. One expert predicts that as many as 000 million Americans may need ventilator treatment during the coronavirus outbreak.
Source: 3dnews.ru