
Paul Graham donates to flexport.org for healthcare worker protective gear in SF - samdung
https://twitter.com/typesfast/status/1241036939907624961
======
eappleby
Someone I know was recently collecting money to buy masks for a distressed
hospital directly from a factory in China. When asked why the hospital doesn’t
just buy the masks themselves, they said this:

“They absolutely should. But hospitals don’t buy from individual factories in
China, they buy supplies from catalogues from approved vendors. In the
meantime, we can help protect the workers with a short-term donation. Also
from what I hear, China has been slowing down “official” export of medical
supplies. What I’m doing is placing a private order via DHL that should go
through faster.”

If it’s true, this could help explain how PG’s donation would create an
incremental benefit rather than just increasing the demand/prices on the
limited supply.

~~~
pg
Yes. The root of the problem is that the hospitals' supply chain is brittle,
and broke under the stress. One hopes it will get redesigned to be more
robust. But in the meantime Flexport can get PPE now, and now is when it's
needed.

------
ipsum2
I'm highly skeptical of the claim that it will pay for _all_ of SF health
workers PPE needs. How many masks and gowns does $1 million buy? How long will
the supplies last at the exponential growth we're seeing?

That being said, pg is amazing person for donating and an inspiration to many.

~~~
oggy
Before the outbreak, N-95 masks used to cost 58 cents. So if it was spent on
masks only, around 1.7 million masks at those prices. I don't know how many
health workers SF has, but at a population of 800k and a US average of 2.6
physicians per 1000 people I'd guess it's hundreds of masks per worker.

I don't know about the costs or the currently available supply though, or what
the real price increases should be due to a pinched supply chain, and I
haven't been able to find any data - would appreciate pointers.

~~~
Retric
I think this could be useful to ramp up production if nothing else. But your
estimate is extremely optimistic with current prices way past 58 cents.

You also need 3 masks per shift for all heathcare workers including
receptionists and janitors at risk. In the worst case that may include
volunteers to help cover temporary wards setup like those for the 1918 flu
pandemic.

Really though this is a situation where money is not the problem.

~~~
oggy
Yeah, like I said I don't know what the current available supply is, which
IIUC is the more limiting factor. I also don't know what the current prices
are, and I don't know which part of it are production costs and which part is
just profiteering.

And even if it's hundreds of masks per worker, I'm sure it won't last through
this thing.

------
chuhnk
Whoa the outright pessimism in this thread is horrific. The guy literally
donated $1m to try help a certain aspect of the crisis. What did you do? Did
you do anything at all to help? Think about your own actions in the face of
this pandemic before criticising others.

~~~
dtornabene
I hate to break it to you man but you don't need to be Mother Teresa to
critique other peoples contributions.

------
juskrey
Virtue is what you do in silence

~~~
tyingq
A bit of signalling in a crisis might pressure other wealthy people to do the
same. So it might have value.

------
LockAndLol
The American healthcare system seems really broken. Requiring private
donations to function instead of the state paying just sounds bonkers.

------
rbanffy
Of course we should thank @paulg for this, but it also highlights the need to
tax fairly so that the State can adequately provide for the health of all of
its people.

~~~
sneak
California has some of the highest taxes of any state; I don’t think the issue
is that they are not taxing “fairly” as you put it.

In any case, the people of California do not seem to be getting very much for
their tax money throughout all of the recent disasters there.

Is your comment saying that they need to be taxed more by California? Less?

------
djdkrkfkgk
Isn't the problem right now not money, but lack of supply?

The US gov is ready to pay for 500 mil respirators, but has nowhere to buy
from.

~~~
graeme
The donation above was to the charitable arm of a logistics company. Supply
chain disruption is a big issue.

For regular PPE, there does exist supply abroad. The issue is quickly getting
it where it needs to go.

(N95 has the biggest supply constraints, but I imagine this is helping with
surgical masks, gloves, etc)

------
H8crilA
Lol a million? How can that possibly be enough? Every other hospital has way
more than that in their rainy day fund / bank credit line.

This is not to belittle PG (other rich people please follow!), but seriously
this can't be meaningful.

~~~
watwut
Some hospitals are already reporting that they wont have money for salaries
and such in few weeks.

~~~
H8crilA
I'm sure hospitals can arrange credit. It's one of the industries that will
_not_ be in a recession.

And again, nothing to belittle PG, but $1M is nothing.

~~~
masonhensley
Patients are starting to skip visits to GP’s and specialists for new and
existing conditions bc of fear of catching covid.

Elective procedures are postponed indefinitely. Procedures contribute a hefty
chunk of revenue in healthcare.

I’d be careful being absolutist with that comment. The cash flow of many
hospitals is going to get strained at the very least in the near future if
they aren’t billing for a large chunk of their services.

------
thecleaner
Fuck yes to paul graham. Funding America's best amid this crisis.

------
DigitalSea
I don't see how this helps. The problem is not the fact US states cannot
afford to buy protective gear, the issue is there is no gear to buy. Even so,
if it was about money, San Francisco would be one of the least likely places
to not be able to afford protective gear given the concentration of wealth
there. There is a serious shortage right now and the only thing that will fix
it is increased production. It just so happens this virus has spread to 188
countries and territories, all wanting protective gear as well.

~~~
cowsandmilk
Seriously, all I see here is Paul Graham providing money for a logistics
company to outbid other states for supplies. They need to provide more
information to show otherwise.

We need people making links earlier in the supply chain to increase
production, not funding a shipping company.

