The North Bay Regional Hospital Foundation is urgently reaching out to local businesses to help fight a dwindling supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies.
"To fight COVID-19, healthcare professionals need gowns, gloves, masks and eye protection in high quantities. These items are critical so that patients can receive care," says the appeal.
"To meet the critical demand we are calling on anyone with unused/NEW PPE to donate. Vets, dentists, other health professionals, and industries are all being asked to pitch in.
"Your hospital, the Foundation, and its partners are working together to prepare North Bay for the eventual arrival of COVID-19 in our community," says the appeal. "One of the current pressures hospitals are under is a shortage of some medical supplies that protect both frontline staff and patients."
You can help by donating PPE supplies.- click here for a list of supplies needed, and directions for delivery to the hospital.
"We're taking some deep breaths and what we want to do is create a list of things the community can do for us," Paul Heinrich, told BayToday.
The list is short and the need is for specific items.
"What we're concerned about is getting an influx of the wrong things and then having to have staff manage and sort through things that we can't use here," says Lindsay Smylie Smith, Communications Specialist. "We've got a lot of social media requests but were just worried because in the States they are asking people to sew things but that's not really what we're looking for."
Those items include procedure masks, N-95 masks, protective gloves, hand sanitizer, vented goggles and face shields.
"It is critical that we keep infection control a top priority as we continue preparations to care for our community," continues the appeal. "With that in mind, we recognize that many of the local corporations operating in our community may utilize items you use in your day to day work that will be helpful. I hope you will take this opportunity to join together with us as a community during this unprecedented time. Thank you for considering this important request."
To fight COVID-19 healthcare professionals need gowns, gloves, masks and eye protection in high quantities. These items are critical so that patients can receive care.
You can drop items off at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, Shipping & Receiving at 50 College Drive.
The Receiving Department is located at the North Side of the building.
Meanwhile, in response to a significant number of people wanting to support Health Sciences North’s operations during the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Foundation, the NEO Kids Foundation and the Northern Cancer Foundation are working together to support HSN’s highest priority needs.
"The foundations have created a 'COVID-19 Support Fund' and are now accepting donations to purchase necessary equipment and supplies to support front line health care workers care for patients at HSN," says a news release. "Anyone looking to donate can visit https://hsnf.akaraisin.com/
HSN continues to be in touch with businesses, industry and the community to see if they have additional personal protective equipment (PPE) such as n95 masks, gloves, gowns and goggles that can be donated. Organizations looking to donate supplies to HSN can email [email protected]
