The Illinois Department of Public Health is asking all ASCs, outpatient surgery centers and veterinarians to donate unused personal protective equipment to providers on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Three insights:
1. The plea was made in a March 21 letter from Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Ngozi Ezike, MD, director of IDPH. IDPH is welcoming any PPE donations, but surgical gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields, surgical masks and N95 respirator masks are especially needed.
2. The request comes after IDPH advised hospitals and outpatient surgery centers March 17 to limit nonessential adult elective surgery and procedures until further notice, in an effort to conserve vital healthcare resources during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
3. IDPH is working with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to address needs stemming from the outbreak. Centers can contact PPE.donations@illinois.gov to contribute supplies.