MEMBER BENEFIT
Medical Oxygen Suppliers Respond to Surging Demand from COVID-19 Hospitalizations BY RICH GOTTWALD, CGA PRESIDENT & CEO
A Richard Gottwald is President and CEO of the Compressed Gas Association (CGA). He can be reached at 703-7882748 or rgottwald@ cganet.com.
30 • Fall 2021
s COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations rise in hotspots such as Florida, member companies of the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) are taking extraordinary measures to respond to surging demand for medical oxygen in those communities. Our members are committed to deploying all available resources to respond to the increased demand for medical oxygen and working collaboratively with health care providers, as we fight this pandemic together. Health care remains a top priority for our industry. Medical oxygen plays a crucial role in treating those who are seriously ill with COVID-19, and the compressed gas industry continues to work diligently to safely and reliably supply health care systems in the U.S. and Canada with this life-saving gas. The recent spikes in COVID-19 related hospitalizations in Florida and other hotspots have made it necessary to prioritize oxygen for medical use over most non-medical applications, in order to respond to the growing needs of COVID patients.
Medical oxygen prioritization will remain in place as long as necessary to meet this extreme demand. There are several aspects to medical oxygen supply that are being impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. These include: hospital supply system capacities; the availability of equipment needed to store and transport medical oxygen, as well as the availability of qualified drivers; and medical oxygen production and distribution capacities. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, CGA member companies have responded to the demand for medical oxygen through a range of measures including sourcing additional medical gas cylinders, converting cylinders and containers to medical oxygen use, and where possible, increasing production and distribution capacity. CGA member companies will continue to monitor and respond to this rapidly changing situation. Related resources provided by the Compressed Gas Association include: • Medical Oxygen Safety & Supply Resource Center for Health Care Facilities
