March 30, 2020 10:25 a.m.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown said progress has been made in acquiring personal protective equipment in the wake of her directive to collect as much available supply as possible from around the state.
A release said the effort is underway in anticipation of the surge of COVID-19 patients that will need treatment in the coming weeks.
Brown thanked individuals, businesses, organizations, and health care providers who have already responded to her call to contribute any available resources of PPE for COVID-19 response. She said that even the significant amount that’s been donated, falls short of what is needed in Oregon. Brown said healthcare workers across the state are still reusing PPE and even making their own masks and face shields due to the national shortage of PPE.
The release said the Oregon Dental Association was among the first organizations leading the way through a donation drive that resulted in more than 60,000 masks and approximately 600,000 gloves, gowns and face shields, from dentists across Oregon. In addition, the Emergency Coordination Center has received over 104,000 masks and 273,000 gloves from private donations.
Brown said a far greater amount of PPE will be needed to fill the health care workers need. She said only the federal government has the resources to meet that need.