California Pulls $1.3 Billion From Reserves for Coronavirus Fight
A pedestrian wears a protective face mask while carrying belongings outside of a tent set up for additional capacity and testing outside of the emergency department at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, March 19.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/BloombergCalifornia said it was withdrawing $1.3 billion from its emergency reserve account to buy supplies and equipment needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s finance department said it was transferring the money to the disaster response-emergency operations account. The money will be used to purchase personal protective equipment and critical medical supplies, enhance the surge capacity of hospitals and medical facilities, and procure other items necessary to support the state’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.