Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Strategic National Stockpile

The Strategic National Stockpile's role is to supplement state and local medical supplies and equipment during public health emergencies. The supplies, medicines, and devices for lifesaving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term, stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of these materials may not be available or sufficient.

As part of the ongoing response, the SNS has deployed personal protective equipment (PPE), including N95 respirators, surgical and face masks, face shields, gloves, and disposable gowns, to help prevent COVID-19 transmission in all 50 states, the nation’s four largest cities, and U.S. territories and ventilators to areas in need. The SNS is also working with its partners across the federal government to coordinate logistics operations in order to leverage all available resources to support the COVID-19 response.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed vulnerabilities in the global medical supply chain that required the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand and enhance the SNS’ capability to respond to a nationwide emerging infectious disease, now and in the future. Read more about how SNS is expanding and enhancing its capabilities.