Update about our partners at GetUsPPE.org
While the outcry over the lack of PPE available for clinicians in the United States continues to escalate, help bridging the gap in supplies is mounting.
GetUsPPE.org is a fast-growing nonprofit coalition of volunteers. The organization is working to build a centralized platform to deliver much-needed PPE to healthcare providers on the frontlines. In just a few weeks, approximately 3,200 donation sites have already sprung up. The organization matches donations and needs as has fielded more than 1,500 requests for PPE so far. GetUsPPE.org is also in the process of creating the largest data set for PPE in the country, with preliminary data viewable on its website.
The organization, founded by Esther Choo, MD, MPH, Megan Ranney, MD, MPH, and Shuhan He, MD, is now seeking international partners to replicate the model in places where it is needed most. Please reach out to info@getusppe.org for more information.
On the heels of a study published in Nature Medicine showing that surgical masks can significantly interrupt coronavirus transmission, late last week the CDC recommended the use of cloth face coverings for the general public, “especially in areas of significant community transmission.” However, Current CDC guidance emphasizes that surgical masks and N95 respirators must be reserved for healthcare professionals and that individuals should stay home as much as possible. If you have to go out, “Any face mask is better than no face mask,” said Dr. Choo, who was quoted in the Wall Street Journal. It appears Americans are getting the message, with homemade masks being sewn en masse by individuals and community groups across the country.
