Metro

De Blasio calls on NYC veterinarians, plastic surgeons to lend ventilators

By
Social Links for Alex Taylor ,
Social Links for Julia Marsh and
Social Links for Aaron Feis
Published March 31, 2020
Updated March 31, 2020, 3:51 p.m. ET

Now it’s time for even Fido to do his part in the battle against coronavirus in New York.

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday beseeched city veterinarians, as well as oral surgeons and plastic surgeons, to lend their ventilators to the coronavirus fight, with the full force of the contagion drawing closer.

“If you’ve got a ventilator in your office, in your operating room, we need it now,” said de Blasio during a press conference at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, part of which is being converted to a 350-bed field hospital.

“It should not be sitting there doing nothing,” he added, specifically calling on oral surgeons, plastic surgeons and “veterinarians, yes, veterinarians” to step up.

Hizzoner and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have spoken repeatedly of the critical need to amass ventilators, with over 40,000 cases now confirmed in the five boroughs — and the worst yet to come.

“This is a war effort,” continued de Blasio. “Everyone needs to contribute. You’ll get it back when this battle is over.”