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Colorado Health Officials: PPE Shipment From National Stockpile Sufficient For One Day

(CBS4) - Across Colorado, health care workers are in need of masks, gloves and other critical medial supplies to help protect themselves from coronavirus. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is in the process of distributing resources to hospitals from the Strategic National Stockpile.

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The Strategic National Stockpile is the nation's largest supply of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency. This week Colorado received its second allotment, which included:

  • 49,920 N95 masks
  • 117,500 surgical masks
  • 21,312 face shields
  • 20,820 surgical gowns
  • 108,000 gloves

CDPHE estimates that these supplies are sufficient for approximately one full day of statewide operations under normal standards of care. Information about the first allotment can be found here.

"Because of the finite amount of supplies, we, and numerous other states across the country, are not receiving the amounts we are requesting. However, the State of Colorado is not waiting to resolve this issue; we are working with the private sector and the public to find ways to increase our inventory of critical medical equipment and supplies," said Mike Willis, Director of the State EOC.

RELATED: Latest Updates On The Coronavirus Outbreak In Colorado

The materials will be distributed to every county health department in the state where they are needed most. Health officials considered the following factors when deciding where to allocate the materials:

  • County population.
  • Portion of the population that is older than age 65 proportional to the state population.
  • The number of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals.
  • If the county or tribe has received supplies previously.

How You Can Help:

  • Colorado's Emergency Operations Center is coordinating requests for supplies, donations of supplies and vendors who can provide supplies. You can contribute on the Colorado Business EOC website to create an account in the state resource database. The State EOC uses this database to fill all resource requests from state and local agencies during emergencies.
  • Coloradans who wish to donate or volunteer to help those affected by COVID-19 should visit helpcoloradonow.com.
  • There is an urgent need for blood. Go to vitalent.org to sign up to donate blood.

 

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