Utah Business Spearheading Online Drive For More N95 Masks

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – When Dan Young, founder of PC Laptops, got off the phone recently with his friend, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, he knew he had to do something to get vital equipment for frontline workers in the war against the novel coronavirus.

Reyes told him law enforcement officers of the AG’s office no longer had the coronavirus-filtering N95 masks need to protect them as they come interact with the public.

In fact, the Attorney General went on to explain, many health care workers and first responders in the state were running out of the lifesaving masks, gowns and face shields better known as personal protection equipment.

Young jumped to action.

“We intend to solve this problem,” his GoFundMe page said.

The page also includes an urgent plea for other business to scour their buildings and warehouses for masks and other PPE that they can find and donate.

Young has already sent his business inventory of masks to the Attorney General’s office. The workers at PC Laptops wear the masks while they build and repair computers.

Employees have been working the phones and email servers tirelessly to locate other sources of PPE. Young has leaned on his list of distributors and manufacturers around the world to roundup the much-needed gear, resulting in 15,000 filtration masks and other PPE, his page says.

“But it’s not enough,” he explains in his fundraising post. “As I have coordinated with the Attorney General’s office, the Office of the Governor, and other organizations in the state. I expect we’ll need to raise at least one million dollars $1,000,000 just to begin to meet the immediate Coronavirus-fighting equipment requirements of our first responders and healthcare professionals. I’m committed to making that happen.”

Donations can be made at GoFundMe.com.*

*KSL-TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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Coronavirus Resources

See the latest information from the Utah Coronavirus Task Force here.

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• What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
• What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
• Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
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• Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?

How Do I Prevent It?

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The CDC does not recommend wearing a face mask respirator to protect yourself from coronavirus unless a healthcare professional recommends it.

How To Get Help

If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.

Additional Resources

If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.