Intermountain Healthcare Collecting Homemade Face Masks For Statewide Distribution
Apr 29, 2020, 3:14 PM
Robin Heiden demonstrates how to properly put on and remove a face mask.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Donation bins have been set up at over two dozen locations around the state for community members to drop off homemade face masks. Intermountain Healthcare announced plans to distribute the masks to hospitals and clinics for visitors.
Residents and businesses have rallied from the beginning of the pandemic to create personal protection equipment (PPE) for health care workers as they treat coronavirus patients.
State officials said hospitals now have adequate supplies of PPE to treat current patients, and still be prepared in the event of a surge in patients.
Intermountain officials said countless numbers of Utahns have used their sewing skills to keep making face masks at home. They’ve set up 28 donation centers across the Beehive State to collect face masks.
The masks will be used specifically by visitors and non-frontline caregivers at hospitals and clinics.
“One thing we love about living in Utah, is people just want to help in any way they can. To see how many people have been sewing these face covers is just astonishing,” said John Wright, vice president of supply chain at Intermountain Healthcare. “By having these available to visitors and certain caregivers, we can ensure we’re saving our medical-grade personal protective equipment for frontline caregivers.
The coverings will be collected, sanitized and distributed throughout the state, officials said in a news release.
Information on how to sew face masks, and where the donation bins have been placed, can be found at intermountainhealthcare.org.
