ALTON, Ill. – To support the health and safety of first responders and health care workers, state Rep. Monica Bristow, D-Alton, is asking that businesses, organizations, and individuals with unused Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donate it to their local medical centers. The shortage of PPE is presenting obstacles for medical workers to protect themselves while treating patients and performing procedures.
“Every day, medical workers, including doctors, nurses, EMTS and other first responders across the country are risking their health in order to keep up with the extra stress coronavirus is putting on our hospitals and medical centers,” said Bristow. “We can get ahead of this problem in the Riverbend area by donating essential PPE products like N-95 masks, sterile gloves, and hand sanitizer.”
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The COVID-19 outbreak is presenting many obstacles to first responders and healthcare workers, with shortages of equipment and resources across the state and the country. Items being asked for donations are N-95 masks, shortloop masks, surgical masks, isolation gowns, surgical gloves, face shields, goggles, and disinfectant wipes. A full list of items can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/serve/Disaster/Pages/COVID-19-PPE-Donations.aspx. All items should be in the manufacturer's original packaging and unopened. Homemade and opened products cannot be accepted. If you have a donation, email ppe.donations@illinois.gov with the quantities of items you have on hand to donate along with your address. After sending an email, donors will receive instructions and other logistics to ensure the products go to the location that needs it most.
“Now is the time for the community to come together and lift up those that are on the frontlines of tackling this public health crisis,” said Bristow. “I encourage anyone with these products not in use to help coordinate a donation to the brave first responders and health care workers risking their health to do their job and keep the public healthy.”
To find out other ways to help during the COVID-19 response, please visit www.Serve.illinois.gov. To find the most recent information about resources and information regarding COVID-19 in Illinois, visit https://coronavirus.illinois.gov or call the Illinois Department of Public Health at 1-800-889-3931.
