By Kate Hickner
Critical Need for Ohio’s Health Care Providers & First Responders
As many of you are aware, according to Director of the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton, the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) that Ohio will receive from the Strategic National Stockpile will not be sufficient to protect health care providers, first responders and other critical operations during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in the coming days. Without sufficient PPE, front-line teams are at serious risk. We must come together to do what we can to protect them.
Auto repair shops, woodworkers, construction companies, nail salons, veterinary clinics, dentists, elective surgery centers and other individuals and businesses are encouraged to donate surplus PPE to support health care providers, first responders and critical operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ohio’s county health departments and other organizations have organized PPE donation collection centers. For more information, please contact your local health department.
More specifically, information about a few donation sites near Cleveland and Columbus is detailed below.
Cuyahoga County
For those living in Cuyahoga County, note that the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management (like all of its Ohio counterparts) has opened a donation collection center in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please consider donating surplus unopened boxes of the following items:
- N95 masks
- Surgical masks
- Isolation gowns
- Eye protection
- Face shields
- Nitrile gloves
- Disinfecting wipes
- Hand sanitizer
Items should be dropped off at:
Donation Collection Center
2501 Harvard Ave., Newburgh Heights
Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
For additional information or questions, please email resl@cuyahogacounty.us.
Franklin County
Seven days a week, the Wexner Medical Center is accepting the following donations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its warehouse, located at 610 Ackerman Road:
- Masks—N-95 masks, surgical masks, procedure masks with or without face shields
- Eyewear—medical or laboratory goggles and glasses
- Shoe covers – medical or laboratory boot/shoe covers
- Gowns—medical-grade protective gowns, isolation gowns
- Gloves—nitrile exam gloves, surgical gloves
- Bouffant caps
- Hand sanitizer—greater than 60% alcohol
- Sanitizer wipes
The medical center asks that you DO NOT DROP donations off at the hospital, emergency room or clinics.
Besides donations, Dr. Acton also requested during Thursday’s press briefing that Ohioans continue to stay home and practice social distancing, pointing out that current efforts so far are helping supplies last longer. Thank you for your efforts to support health care providers and first responders during this crisis.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Healthcare Partner Kate Hickner at keh@kjk.com or 216.736.7279.
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