SLO County can’t take those handmade masks — but here are the supplies it needs
Here’s bad news for everyone who has spent time making face masks in hopes of helping out local health care workers — San Luis Obispo County actually can’t accept homemade protective gear.
“We know a lot of people want to help as our community works together to combat this disease, and while we appreciate that some people want to make homemade masks and other protective equipment, we cannot accept homemade items,” county emergency services director Wade Horton said in a news release.
What the county does need are donations of unused, factory-produced personal protective equipment such as masks, sanitizer and hospital gowns, he said.
The donated supplies would supplement supplies the county is distributing to local health care providers and fist responders, according to the release.
San Luis Obispo County is looking for the following items:
- N95 masks (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved),
- Surgical and procedure masks (U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved),
- Exam gloves (powder-free, nitrile or latex preferred),
- Isolation gowns and coveralls,
- Hospital-grade cleaning wipes,
- Hand sanitizer,
- Face shields,
- Goggles,
- Safety glasses, and
- Thermometers (disposable and non-contact/temporal scanners).
The donated items must be sealed and in their original packaging, not expired and have no stains, odors or tears.
How to donate
To donate supplies, contact the county’s PPE supply coordinator at 805-543-2444 or EOC-EWEC@co.slo.ca.us.
A county staff member will contact you to confirm that the donation meets the above criteria and then staff will provide you with details of when and where to drop-off your donation. The items should not be taken directly to any county sites or health care facilities unless specifically told to do so, according to the release.
Horton advised anyone interested in helping out during the coronavirus outbreak to visit ReadySLO.org for ways to volunteer.
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