Today, State Senators Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) and Will Haskell (D-Westport) asked members of the public, businesses and organizations with stocks of personal protective equipment including facial masks, respirators, eye protection and disinfectant to donate those supplies, if possible, to local hospitals and health care workers battling the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
Doctors, nurses and other medical professionals continue to report shortages of these important protective supplies that could lead to increased illness, further straining health care infrastructure during the difficult COVID-19 outbreak.
“My Senate District has become the front line in the war against COVID-19, with dozens of infections and several deaths already in towns including Westport and New Canaan. Hospitals are beginning what will be an extensive battle against the virus,” said Sen. Haskell. “We know for a fact that hospitals are struggling to obtain adequate amounts of personal protective equipment, and while the supply chain is ramping up, there could be a weeks-long lag in those supplies reaching those who need them. Construction and utility companies, among many other businesses, may have stocks of N95 respirators and other important supplies right now. We encourage them to donate them, if possible, to local health care providers. They could save many lives.”
“To effectively battle COVID-19 and save as many lives as possible, health care professionals cannot themselves fall ill,” said Sen. Anwar, who is a medical doctor. “If a doctor, nurse or paramedic, to name only a few, becomes infected with COVID-19, they must enter quarantine, meaning they would not be able to assist patients. This would put further strain on the health care system. We owe it to ourselves and our communities to support our health care professionals. I ask any business with supplies of N95 respirators, paper masks, eye protection, disposable gloves and head covers, scrubs and disinfectant wipes, liquids and hand-cleaners – anything that can protect health care workers from COVID-19 exposure – to contact their local hospitals and make donations if possible. In tough times like these, anything we can do to support our communities and protect our health care workers will go a long way.”
The call from Senators Anwar and Haskell comes after Governor Ned Lamont announced Monday that two companies have already made donations. Gil’s Drywall of Plainville and PW Power Systems of Glastonbury both provided N95 respirators to the state Department of Public Health, which will then distribute them to hospitals in need, Gov. Lamont said.
Businesses with supplies available for donation should contact the Department of Public Health to see the best way to make such donations. The Department of Public Health has created an online form for members of the public, businesses and philanthropic organizations interested in making these donations at www.211ct.org/DonationsCOVID19. The state is partnering with nonprofit United Way 2-1-1 of Connecticut to collect information and distribute supplies.
Some hospitals, including Hartford Healthcare, have created informational lines to coordinate drop off times; those in Hartford County can email COVIDDonations@HHCHealth.org to coordinate such a drop-off to Hartford Healthcare institutions.
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