Grassroots mobilizers to collect masks for frontline health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[TORONTO, ON., March 23, 2020] - Healthcare workers across Canada are scrambling for much needed personal protective equipment (PPE), especially face masks, in order to save lives affected by COVID-19. Yesterday, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) issued a joint statement around the imminent shortage of masks for healthcare workers. A group of concerned physicians and community organizers in Ontario are rising to the challenge by taking a novel approach to soliciting and donating masks for front line workers, by partnering with a well-established community organization, Carefirst.
Without adequate masks, frontline healthcare workers will be at an increased risk of exposure and infection of COVID-19. Atul Gawande recently published a piece in The New Yorker discussing strategies that Hong Kong and Singapore utilized to combat their viral outbreaks. In “Keeping the Coronavirus from Infecting Health Care Workers”, Gawande outlined that among the important approaches was use of “surgical masks for all patient interactions” and “use of N95 masks, face protectors, goggles, and gowns reserved for procedures where respiratory secretions can be aerosolized (for example, intubating a patient) and for known or suspected cases of COVID-19.”
Unfortunately, many hospitals in Ontario currently cannot allow for the use of masks in patient interactions due to the shortage. There have been extreme cases in countries like the US and Italy where health care workers have had to re-use masks or utilize make shift masks.
Dr. Karen Wang, an inpatient psychiatrist, started the grassroots initiative Mobilizing Masks for Health Care Providers in response to the lack of adequate resources across the city. “I was noticing an increasing concern around lack of protective equipment and was hearing comments from multiple health care providers at hospitals and private clinics city wide. How can we save lives in this pandemic if we do not have adequate supplies for the people on the frontlines? We know that many families or private businesses in Ontario have a collection of masks for their own personal or business use. I am asking that they please consider donating these masks to help save lives. Now is the time.”
“These masks will be going directly to frontline hospital workers. They will be checked, itemized, sorted and delivered by the Carefirst mobilization team. Our health care workers must be protected so that they can save lives. We can only get through this pandemic if we work together.”
Individuals or businesses interested in donating to this worthwhile cause can go online to our webapp at www.frontlinemasks.ca or call the Carefirst hotline at 416-646-5108. Emails regarding donations can be directed to mobilizemasks@gmail.com.
Mobilizing Masks for Health Care Providers is a grassroots organization of physicians and advocates, partnering with Carefirst, to create a large-scale mask donation drive to bring masks to frontline hospital workers providing patient care. Carefirst is a non-profit, registered charitable community services organization established in 1976. They have been providing a wide range of primary care and community support services, such as medical clinics, home care, health education, assistive living services, supportive counselling and transportation services, to seniors and families, across the GTA and surrounding areas. For more information, visit our webapp www.frontlinemasks.ca, on Facebook at fb.me/frontlinemasksGTA, or on Twitter @frontlinemasks.
Contact:
Edith Lam, Director of Development and Communication
Edith.lam@carefirstontario.ca
416-847-6007
Grassroots mobilizers to collect masks for frontline health care workers during COVID-19
pandemic 緊急呼籲為前線醫護人員徵求口罩
IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 23, 2020
緊急呼籲- March 23, 2020
新聞稿聯絡人：Edith Lam, 416-847--6007
加拿大各地的醫護人員都在急切地尋求個人防護裝備（PPE），尤其是口罩的供應，以減低他們在挽救COVID-19 確診者生命時自己受感染的風險。 昨天，安大略省醫學協會OMA）和安大略省註冊護士協會（RNAO）就醫護人員面對口罩短缺的問題發表了一項聯合聲明。 安大略省一群關心事件的醫生和社區召集人隨即通過與社區組織耆暉會合作，為前線醫護人員徵集和捐贈口罩，以助他們迎接挑戰。
沒有足夠的口罩，前線醫護人員感染COVID-19 的風險極大。Gawande最近在《The New Yorker》上發表了一篇文章，討論香港和新加坡用來抗擊病毒爆發的策略。 在「防止冠狀病毒感染衛生保健工作者」中，Gawande概述了一些重要的方法，如「接觸患者時使用手術口罩、N95 口罩、面罩、護目鏡和手術保護袍」，特別是接觸已確診或疑似COVID-19 病者（例如為患者麻醉、插管），該些裝備更加重要，因COVID-19 病者氣化的呼吸道分泌物，會威脅到醫護人員的生命。
不幸的是，由於全球防護裝備資源嚴重短缺，美國和義大利等國家的醫護人員不得不重覆使用同一個口罩整整一周，或者使用不合規格的口罩或其他臨時代替品，而安大略省的許多醫院目前更不允許醫護人員在與患者接觸中使用手術口罩。
精神科醫生Dr. Karen Wang針對全市醫護人員缺乏足夠裝備的緊急現狀，發起社區緊急呼籲，動員市民為醫護人員募集口罩。 「我注意到醫護界越來越擔心缺乏防護設備，連日來聽取了來自全市醫院和私人診所的多家衛生保健提供者的擔憂。一些醫生表示只剩下最後一個口罩，但他們仍要為潛在的感染患者進行治療。 如果我們沒有為前線醫護人員提供足夠的供應，我們怎樣才能打勝這一場疫戰呢？我們知道，安大略省的許多家庭或私營企業都有一系列用於個人或商業使用的口罩，我現在懇請他們慷概捐贈，以助醫護安心拯救生命」。
「這些口罩將直接進入前線醫護人員的手中。它們將由醫護小組檢查、分類，並在耆暉會協助下交給醫院工作人員。 我們希望我們的醫護人員得到保護，這樣他們才能保護病人和他們的家人。 我們必須共同努力，才有希望度過這一大疫」。
有意捐贈的個人或企業可以上網 www.frontlinemasks.ca
下載應用程式或
致電416-646-5108
或電郵 mobilizemasks@gmail.com
Facebook: fb.me/frontlinemasksGTA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frontlinemasks
紧急呼吁为前线医护人员征求口罩
IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 23, 2020
紧急呼吁 - March 23, 2020
新闻稿联络人：Edith Lam, 416-847-6007
加拿大各地的医护人员都在争先恐后地寻找急需的个人防护设备(PPE),尤其是口罩,以挽救受COVID-19 影响的生命。 昨天,安大略省医学协会(OMA)和安大略省注册护士协会(RNAO)就卫生保健工作者即将短缺的口罩发表了一项联合声明。 安大略省一群关心的医生和小区召集人正通过与小区组织耆晖会合作,为前线医护人员征集和捐赠口罩,从而迎接挑战。 如果没有足够的口罩,前线医护人员接触和感染COVID-19 的风险就会增加。 Gawande 最近在《The New Yorker》上发表了一篇文章,讨论香港和新加坡用来抗击病毒暴发的策略。 在「防止冠状病毒感染卫生保健工作者」中,Gawande 概述了一些重要的方法,如「接触患者时使用手术口罩、N95 口罩、面罩、护目镜和手术保护袍」,特别是和已知或疑似COVID-19 病例接触(例如,为麻醉而插管患者)时, 因其呼吸道分泌物可以雾化。
不幸的是,由于资源严重短缺,安大略省的许多医院目前不允许医护人员在患者接触中使用手术口罩。在美国和意大利等国家,医护人员不得不重复使用同一个口罩整整一周,或者使用换班口罩或头巾。
精神科医生Dr. Karen Wang,针对全市缺乏足够的资源的紧急现状,发起小区紧急呼吁,动员为医护人员募集口罩。 「我注意到人们越来越担心缺乏防护设备,并听取了来自全市医院和私人诊所的多家卫生保健提供者的担忧。 一些医生只剩下他们最后一个口罩,但他们被要求与潜在的感染患者工作。 如果我们没有为前线医护人员提供足够的供应,我们怎样才能挺过这一流行病呢?我们知道,安大略省的许多家庭或私营企业都有一系列用于个人或商业使用的口罩。 我现在请求他们考虑捐赠这些口罩,以拯救生命」。
「这些口罩将直接进入前线医护人员的手中。 它们将由医护小组检查、分类,并在耆晖会协助下交给医院工作人员。 我们希望我们的医护人员得到保护,这样他们才能保护病人和他们的家人。 如果我们共同努力,我们就能度过这一大流行病毒疫情」。
有意捐赠的个人或企业可以上网 www.frontlinemasks.ca
下载应用程序或
致电416-646-5108
或电邮 mobilizemasks@gmail.com
Facebook: fb.me/frontlinemasksGTA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frontlinemasks
