Public health directors urge people to leave PPE for health care providers

Though concerns around the coronavirus have spurred people into taking extra precautions when going out, public health directors are asking the general public not to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks or gloves.

'Right now, it is in short supply for medical providers, who very much need it, so I would strongly advise against trying to purchase PPE,” Danielle Pettit-Majewski, Washington County Public Health's administrator, said.

For masks in particular, Pettit-Majewski added the only time someone should wear one is if they are going into a hospital or clinic, or actively coughing or sick.

'Please don't be buying that stuff because we have a shortage. We need to use it for direct patient care,” Pettit-Majewski added.

The public health administrator added wearing masks can actually 'put out mixed messaging.”

'I don't put on a mask to go to the grocery store, I don't need to be, and the healthy general public don't need to either,” she said.

Pettit-Majewski explained the coronavirus is not airborne like measles, meaning 'it's not just floating in the air.”

'You have to inhale from a cough or sneeze or touch something a sick person has already touched and introduce it to your own mucous membrane,” she said.

Shelley Van Dorin, Henry County Public Health Director, explained masks are not necessary if people are abiding by social distancing suggestions, practicing proper hand hygiene and avoiding touching their faces, which has pathways to the body's mucous membrane.

'If you're practicing social distancing, then we can save the masks for health care providers,” Van Dorin said.

Like Pettit-Majewski, Van Dorin said she feels wearing masks 'is not necessary” in most circumstances.

'The problem is PPE is scarce. It does say you can wear a face mask around other people if you're sick or before going into a health care provider's office,” Van Dorin said.

The public health director added she strongly advises people who are feeling unwell to just stay home.

'It's very very important that people heed that warning. If you're sick, you must stay home,” Van Dorin urged, 'If you're sick, I suggest they just not go out.”

The public health directors encouraged anyone with extra masks to donate the equipment to their local health care providers. In Washington County, residents with extra personal protective equipment can contact Emergency Management Manager Marissa Reisen. For those in Henry County, residents can drop off donations at the Public Health Office.

Van Dorin said if people want to use masks while out in public, they can use homemade masks, which will leave other PPE for providers.

'Currently, we will probably prefer to use bought PPE, because they're particularly made for that purpose,” Van Dorin said, though she noted that as resources become scarce, using homemade masks also will be an option.

As hospitals continue to face a growing number of coronavirus cases, their need for PPE has increased. Groups like the Rosie the Riveter Face Mask Counter, started by a group of Fairfield residents, have been donating their time and effort to making homemade masks under CDC guidelines.

Elizabeth Bender, a member of the Fairfield mask-making group, originally reached out to Jefferson County Health Center after seeing online posts about shortages, who said they were open to donations.

'It's just to help. It's something I can do, there's a lot that I can't but I can sew. I'm a schoolteacher and we're not in school right now so I have time to do this,” Bender said.

As more effort has gone into making homemade masks, much like PPE, materials to make masks have also become more scarce. Bender said she ordered fabric a week ago and doesn't expect it to arrive for another two weeks. Elastic, used for ear hooks, are also becoming more and more difficult to find.

'We're trying to make it as form-fitting as we can to the face. It also goes through a washing and sterilization process each some, so it also has to be durable,” Bender explained.

Currently, Bender has made around 55 masks. As a group, the Face Mask Counter, which has over 100 members, has made around 400 masks for health care providers in Jefferson County.

'They're on the front lines, they're the reason we're doing it,” Bender said of making sure the masks reach health care professionals.