Coronavirus Latest: Gov. Hogan Says 500K COVID-19 Tests From South Korea Under Guard At Secret Location
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Gov. Larry Hogan revealed Thursday the state took extraordinary measures to safeguard the 500,000 tests he and First Lady Yumi Hogan obtained for $9 million from South Korea from possible confiscation by U.S. officials.
"The National Guard and the state police are both guarding these tests at an undisclosed location. These things are being distributed. They're helping us distribute the tests," Hogan told Washington Post Live Thursday.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren reports the tests will begin to go to nursing homes in Maryland, among other hot spots.
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"It was a little bit of a concern," Gov. Hogan said about fears the federal government would seize the tests.
"It was a very complicated process," Gov. Hogan added. "We spent about 22 days and nights dealing with this whole transaction with [South] Korea. At the last moment—I think 24 hours before—we got sign-off from the FDA and border and customs to try to make sure that we landed this plane safely."
The governor recounted how Massachusetts' governor had thousands of face masks confiscated by the federal government and had to get New England Patriots' owner Robert Kraft to bring in a separate shipment with a private plane.
"This was an enormously valuable payload. It was like Fort Knox to us because it was going to save the lives of thousands of our citizens," Gov. Hogan said. "We guarded that cargo with whoever might interfere with us getting that to the folks who needed it."
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
