You medical people, please tell us what we can do for you? (And police / Fire / Truckers etc)

[KentuckyWoman]

There's the move to make cloth masks - will those actually help anyone for any reason?

Is there a way to donate you supplies? Anything we can drop at hospitals to help (without exposing ourselves) ?

Is it kosher to call the info number for the local hospital to ask what we can do?

I'm staying home. I'm not hoarding. I'm helping who I can help. It doesn't feel like enough to me - I live in WWII days - was young, but I remember.

Please tell us what we can actually do to make a difference. Anything.

Please if you have any of the essential professions to keep us moving during this... kindly tell us what to do? There are millions of us that want to help but don't know what else to do besides stay home and don't hoard.

[Nature Man]

1. The only way non-essential personnel can help

is stay the fuck home and stay the hell out of the way.

No amount of crafts projects, do-gooderism, positive thinking, vibes, or any feel-good strategy can counteract the math and science.

The ONLY control day-to-day people have right is to stay away from other people to reduce the infection rate.

Everyone's job right now is to decrease the infection rate, stay out of the hospital, and survive.

That in itself should make anyone feel pretty damn good.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. I heard secondhand that a nurse at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL has

pleaded for eye protection. Goggles, shields, whatever. COVID can enter the body via the eyes.

[SCantiGOP]

3. I've asked my daughter

She's a first year nurse in a big city hospital with 16 cases of the virus. She's overworked, re-using masks, scared of running out of other supplies and very scared about what is coming. She's only been working since August and hasn't come close to getting used to seeing people die.
I've asked her what I could do to help her. She's only seen me cry twice - once while giving my Dad's eulogy, and at her wedding. She didn't see me cry this time because we were on the phone separated by two times zones.
She said, "Just stay safe, Daddy. I couldn't take it if you were sick and I wasn't there."

Thank you for your post, Kentucky Woman. Yes you can call local hospitals and ask what you might can do. She says the people in her area have donated hundreds of construction and cleaning masks, which were never intended for this kind of use but would be better than nothing if it comes to that.
Maybe the best thing we can do for these brace people is get rid of Trump and the four jackass Senators that represent Kentucky and South Carolina.

[KentuckyWoman]

5. Hey

[catrose]

4. Check #SewMasks on Twitter.

It has requests from medical centers, the patterns they want you to use, how to get the masks to them, and so on. You can probably find something for your area. If not, mailing is an option.

I've started to see Facebook ads from local places requesting donations. Sure, they would love to have real masks, gowns, etc., but they're specific about what they can accept and how you can get it to them.

If you can avoid it, I wouldn't call. Those people are working hard. Chances are that someone in your area is setting up donation chains.

[woodsprite]

6. Our local fire dept posted on FB that they had enough N95 masks for now

But were in need of

- surgical-type masks to put on patients
- clean safety glasses / eye protection
- non-permeable / disposable gowns

I spoke with them to ask if hand sewn masks would work for them, and they said “we are not at the point where we can accept hand-sewn masks, but we greatly appreciate your support.”

Maybe your local fire dept could use similar items.

[KentuckyWoman]

7. oh... GOOD IDEA - Like and follow all our local FB pages for first responders / hospital groups

It feels lame right now, but if a need arises they'll hopefully speak up so we know.

[woodsprite]

8. Yes, they actually tagged the post as "Supplies requested". nt

[Maru Kitteh]

9. Nursing homes around the country are on lock-down. Already lonely seniors are not able to see

their family and friends. Social distancing has been implemented even at meal times, leaving people who can't hear very well isolated even from the simple joy of conversation with their tablemates. Most of them have some degree of memory loss and decline and they simply don't understand what is happening or why. It's heartbreaking.

If anyone has any old iPads or Kindles or other tablets that are capable of running Facetime, Skype or other software that could help connect these people to their families, it might be incredibly enriching for some of the seniors in a community near you. I would kindly suggest calling around or asking a trusted source to find out which homes are most in need - which homes have the greatest number of residents who are from populations that are vulnerable and underserved/poor to begin with. Talk to their social director and make sure that it will be used to help residents connect with family and loved ones. You don't want your gift tossed into a corner for someone to figure out "later."

I'm an RN at a Veterans home. I am getting an old iPad ready to hand over as we speak


THANKS for asking. We love you.