• Capable of making 5,000 mask per day
• FCEM&HS accepts donations of home sewn mask
• School closure extends through May 1

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced that prisons are working to make personal protective equipment to combat the spread of coronavirus in the state  prisons.

“So far inmates have made 500 hospital gowns. They will be able to make 44,000 when they get additional fabric,” said Governor Mike DeWine.

“They will be able to start making cough masks – similar to surgical masks — soon and will be able to make 5,000 a day up to a total of 2 million.”

According to him, “they are also gearing up to make face shields.  They are currently sourcing out the materials and making patterns.  Further, each prison that has its own workshop will make masks for the people in those prisons.”

He added, “this Department is also deploying some federal funds to cover additional expenses that Adult Care Facilities are taking on because of COVID19.”

“We must slow this virus down. It’s a race for time as we build out the hospital capacity. It also buys us time for new technology to come online and help us in a number of ways. Every day that we can delay this tidal wave is a day we can see technology move forward.”

On update in the state, health director, Dr Amy Acton disclosed that a health worker in the emergency room, ER has been confirmed to be among those that have died from the coronavirus in the state which number has increased to 39.

“With our limited testing we are testing the sickest people, the high-risk, and our healthcare workers.”

“No hospital system in this world has ever faced what we’re facing now. Our planning will go through the surge and after the surge. We are learning a lot as we go through this.

While acknowledging today as Doctors’ Day, Dr Acton said, “I have the honor of wearing this white coat – it represents all the healthcare professionals on the front line. I’m thinking of you every day I put this coat on.”

On school closure, Governor Mike DeWine said that the Ohio Department of Health will extend its order to keep schools closed through the end of April.

Ohio’s previous order was set to expire on April 3, 2020. The new order will extend the closure through May 1, 2020.

“There is the real possibility that our schools could stay closed longer than this, but we want to give parents and teachers as much notice and flexibility as we can,” said Governor DeWine.

“Schools should continue to do what they’re doing now — providing the best remote learning that they can, serving meals to students in new ways, and planning for what the rest of the year may look like.”

Meanwhile, as efforts to stop the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continue and with limited amounts of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available, Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security (FCEM&HS) is now accepting donations of home sewn masks in addition to manufactured PPE for the COVID-19 response.

PPE received from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and many of the public donations have been distributed throughout Franklin County. Over the past couple weeks, FCEM&HS has received inquiries from the community wanting to assist local agencies by making and donating home sewn masks.  As COVID-19 continues, manufactured PPE is becoming difficult to obtain and home sewn masks are now being collected.

“While we are very excited to learn that Battelle has been approved to utilize their innovative technology to sterilize manufactured N-95 masks, we feel it is also prudent to begin to accept home sewn masks to potentially fill non-traditional uses and need for COVID-19 response,” said Jeffrey J. Young, Director of Franklin County Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

“As we begin the distribution of these home sewn masks, we will follow guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).”

Donations of home sewn masks and manufactured PPE are accepted daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at FCEM&HS, 5300 Strawberry Farms Blvd., Columbus.

Items Needed:

• Gowns
• Non-Sterile Gloves
• Surgical Masks (Ear Loop)
• N95 Masks – All Sizes
• Home Sewn Masks
• Hand Sanitizer
• Viral Swabs/Viral Culture Vials

Donations of commercially produced items should be in sealed manufactured packaging.  A valid driver’s license is required for proper identification.