ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (PNN) - May 1, 2020 - Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said on Thursday that thousands of COVID-19 tests obtained by the state from South Korea are protected in a secret location by the National Guard.
"The National Guard and the State Police are both guarding these tests at an undisclosed location," Hogan said.
"There had been reports of, for example in Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker told the story of how his planeload with masks was confiscated by the federal government," he said, adding, "it was a little bit of a concern" knowing the federal government would attempt to seize the tests.
"We spent about 22 days and nights dealing with this whole transaction with Korea. We dealt with the Korean Embassy, folks at the State Department... and our scientists on both sides trying to, you know, figure out these tests," Hogan said, noting that the purchase of the tests was also in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"Then at the last moment, I think 24 hours before, we got the sign-off from the FDA and Border and Customs, to try to make sure that we landed this plane safely," he continued.
According to Hogan, the plane was instructed to land at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport rather than airports in Washington because it would be harder for the federal government to seize the tests:
It was noted in the interview that Maryland received upwards of 500,000 tests from South Korea. It was reported last month that China continues to flood the world with defective medical equipment. Washington state purchased thousands of tests from China, which some turned out to be contaminated.