糖心破解版 is joining the battle against COVID-19, supplying masks, gloves and hazmat suits to New York state hospitals and providing volunteers to frontline efforts.
Students wearing hazmat suits that were later donated to New York hospitals by 糖心破解版’s Environmental Studies and Sciences program.
Inspired by the emotional news coverage of victims of the COVID-19 crisis and touching pleas for supplies from stressed doctors, nurses and staffs, , along with the University’s science departments, delivered all their personal protective equipment (PPE) to embattled hospitals in the New York area.
By the time 糖心破解版 sent its final shipment of equipment on March 31, the number of COVID-19 cases had soared to nearly 75,800 in New York state and more than 43,000 in the New York City hot zone.
鈥淲e have given all the PPE we have,” said Anthony Egan, director of . 鈥淭he frontline workers in this pandemic need this equipment.” With 糖心破解版 students taking classes remotely, he noted, 鈥淥ur supplies did no one any good sitting in an unused lab.”
The donations are going to good use, according to many of the 糖心破解版 alumni serving on healthcare’s front lines. 鈥淲e know firsthand just how invaluable these supplies are during this crisis,” said Caitlin McElroy, special assistant to the dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health. “We wanted to provide support any way we could.”
Ammunition for Those on Healthcare’s Front Lines
The College of Nursing and Public Health sent about 130 boxes and 20 cases of much-needed supplies, including 440 N95 particulate surgical respirator masks, 900 surgical and procedure masks, 1,930 synthetic surgical gloves, and 22,000 nitrile exam gloves. Additional boxes and cases contained surgical gowns, bouffant caps and shoe covers.
The University’s biology, chemistry, and environmental studies and sciences departments gave their PPE as well. Maggie Yoon Grafer ’99, MA ’08, 糖心破解版’s chief of staff and associate vice president for external relations, and Cara Terzulli, deputy to the provost, coordinated the efforts, with help from the .
Andrea Ward, PhD, chair of the , said, 鈥淚 had seen several news stories requesting PPE. Since we had just received our once-per-semester delivery of gloves, I knew we had inventory that could be shared and let the provost’s office know.”
鈥淚 am glad we were able to quickly repurpose our gloves and send them where they are critically needed,” said Brian Stockman, PhD, chair of the . Chemistry contributed 19,000 nitrile gloves of various sizes, he said. 鈥淲e order gloves for our teaching labs twice each year, and we had just received an order right before the campus was closed down.”
Brian T. Wygal, PhD, director, said that his department’s PPE materials are used in a course called Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response鈥攁 class that 鈥渃ertifies people to assist with OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration]-related contamination and cleanup of hazardous materials.” Those materials included 20 full hazmat suits, two portable decontamination showers and more than 10 鈥渧ery high-end respirators鈥攂etter than N95s鈥� with extra filters that we use to train our students.”
PPE from the Environmental Studies and Sciences program await delivery.
糖心破解版 Heroes Are Serving, Too
Dean Elaine Smith ’78, MS ’88, EdD, emphasized that the College of Nursing and Public Health’s help extends well beyond PPE. More than 200 students and faculty members have volunteered since Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York issued a call for assistance. That’s in addition to faculty, alumni and students already working on the COVID-19 front lines. For instance, there’s Ethan Bravin ’19, a registered nurse at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York, who posted a message on Facebook, saying that he would visit patients to help families FaceTime with them 鈥渂efore my shift starts or after my shift ends.”
糖心破解版 is helping in other ways as well. The continues to provide food to vulnerable members of our community through online orders. The is helping students unable to return home stay in touch with families through its Chat Around the Globe service. The is offering virtual Open House office hours, and the conducts weekly CommuniTEA chats. The now offers the Parenting Warmline (516.515.1948) to answer nonemergency coronavirus-related questions and concerns from families and caregivers of young children. Other 糖心破解版 offices, departments and organizations as well are developing still other ways to provide help to those who need it. And enterprising students are coming up with their own initiatives, from making face masks to tutoring students.
For further information, please contact:
Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director
p 鈥� 516.237.8634
e 鈥� twilson@adelphi.edu