Maryland's GOP Gov. Larry Hogan says the National Guard and Maryland State Police are guarding coronavirus tests at a secret location because of concerns they may be seized.
In a video interview with The Washington Post, Hogan said there was "a little bit of concern" about the federal government seizing the tests after governors had their supplies taken.
Maryland recently bought half a million tests from South Korean company LabGenomics for $9 million, Business Insider reported.
"We spent about 22 days and nights dealing with this whole transaction with Korea," Hogan told the Post.
"We dealt with the Korean embassy, folks at the State Department...and our scientists on both sides trying to figure out these tests," Hogan said. "And 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."
Hogan said when the Korean Air jet carrying the 500,000 tests flew into Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, it was met by National Guard troops and state troopers.
"This was an enormously valuable payload," he said. "It was like Fort Knox to us because it's going to save the lives of thousands of our citizens."
The governor said he had heard reports from other states of the federal government confiscating supplies, specifically mentioning an incident relayed to him by fellow GOP Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts.
After 3 million masks purchased for the state were confiscated in New York, state leaders in Massachusetts turned to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to help bring in coveted N95 masks from China on the team's plane.
"There were a couple of other states that had similar stories," Hogan said.
He said the tests were "so important to us that we wanted to make sure that plane took off from Korea safely, landed here in America safely, and that we guarded that cargo from whoever might interfere with us getting that to our folks that needed it."
The governor added that the test protection was ongoing, saying that "the National Guard and State Police are both guarding these tests at an undisclosed location."
Maryland's decision to purchase coronavirus tests from South Korea drew criticism from President Donald Trump, who said Hogan could have used available labs to boost testing.
"I don't think he needed to go to South Korea. I think he needed to get a little knowledge, would have been helpful," Trump said.
Hogan later responded on MSNBC, saying that if there had been "an easier way" to get the necessary tests, "we certainly would have taken it," Business Insider reported.
Maryland has more than 23,000 coronavirus cases and over 1,100 deaths.
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