The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has ordered 100,000 more ‘human remains pouches’ in preparation for a second wave of coronavirus, expected to hit in the fall, as more than a million cases and 60,000 deaths were confirmed in the US.
The order for the body bags, costing $5.1 million, was made last week, coming only weeks after a previous order for 100,000 body bags in a contract with the DoD.
A FEMA spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that the order represents preparation for a “worst possible case national scenario”.
“In order to meet the worst-case demand models, FEMA initiated a broad range of acquisition contracts to augment available stocks and produce more human-remains pouches for future requirements should they be needed,” the statement read.
The statement also outlined that the agency has already distributed the bags from the previous DoD contract to coronavirus hotspots across the US.
The latest order ensures a stockpile “should there be any fall resurgence [of coronavirus]” or if any other disasters occur in the meantime.
Modelling being used by the Trump administration predicts that there will have been 74,000 deaths by August. However, the toll has already surpassed 60,481 as of Wednesday afternoon.
The body bags are being supplied by a firm in California.
Hell, at least they’re not coming from China.
