Area partners launch donation campaign for urgently needed PPE and supplies for local health care providers

30 March 2020

Joint Media Release:

Midhurst/March 30, 2020 – Municipal and health partners in Simcoe and Muskoka, including the County of Simcoe, the District of Muskoka, and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, are working together to launch a donation campaign for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and critical supplies that are essential for the provision of safe medical and community care to patients and residents in our region.

Health and emergency services, such as paramedicine, long-term care, home and community care, hospitals and public health, have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and have dramatically increased their use of PPE to protect residents, patients and health care workers. To counteract this rapid increase in demand for medical supplies and equipment, health partners are working collaboratively to implement a donation campaign to leverage strong local business and community ties and utilize all available stock within our community.

Any donations of the following new and unused items would be greatly appreciated:

  • N95 masks
  • Surgical masks
  • Face shields, protective goggles or safety glasses
  • Nitrile gloves (latex-free)
  • Reusable or disposable gowns
  • Medical thermometers
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Disinfectant wipes with a DIN# or with bleach cleaner
  • Hand soap

Any businesses or community members looking to donate items can email EmergencyManagement@smdhu.org. Information about how and where to send donations is available at www.smdhu.org/donations. All donations received will be collected in central depots in Simcoe and Muskoka and will be issued to local health care providers in order of priority, as determined by the Province of Ontario. We will work with you to arrange pick-up or delivery. Businesses supplying goods for purchase can also reach out to individual partners.

Quotes

“These are unprecedented times and we’ve already seen and heard about the tremendous generosity and sense of community that our residents and businesses have. While our residents must continue to adhere to Public Health recommendations to stay home, self-isolate and exercise physical distancing, our front-line workers are doing amazing work to continue to care for us, respond to this crisis and help
us to recover as quickly as possible. If you can, please donate PPE to keep these amazing people healthy and safe.” – County of Simcoe Warden George Cornell
“We are so fortunate to have our dedicated front line workers available to provide essential services to the community during this very challenging time. We are facing a time of unparalleled pressure on our health care system and it is essential our paramedic and long term care services have access to the equipment and materials necessary to continue to provide the excellent services they are recognized for. We are grateful for the community donations of PPE that will help keep our dedicated staff and their families safe and healthy.” – District of Muskoka Chair John Klinck
“I want to express my appreciation to the healthcare workers across a number of sectors who are working tirelessly on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic response. We are calling on our community to help ensure the supply of PPE and medical supplies meets the demand over the coming weeks. Thank you to those businesses and residents who have already come forward to offer donations of these much needed supplies.” – SMDHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Charles Gardner

County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at www.simcoe.ca.

The District of Muskoka provides many essential services to residents across six Area Municipalities including: paramedic service, social services, long-term care, water and wastewater, waste management and more. For more information about the key service responsibilities of the District and Area Municipalities in Muskoka’s two-tier municipal system, please visit: www.muskoka.on.ca

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