While Sault Area Hospital (SAH) officials say donations of food and coffee for frontline healthcare workers are appreciated, the hospital prefers the public stays away from the hospital unless absolutely necessary and to leave financial donations for the Sault Area Hospital Foundation (SAHF).
More to the point, what the hospital really needs is masks for healthcare workers, and is encouraging community members to make and donate masks.
“Our community can help meet the need for masks by making masks using the approved design. An approved pattern is available here SAH recommends the version with the pocket to add extra filter layers and the soft wire to help form the mask to the individual’s face. Masks may be dropped off at SAH’s main entrance in the donation box located between the entrance doors.
"This entrance is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days per week. All masks will be cleaned and sanitized prior to use,” stated Brandy Sharp Young, SAH communications and volunteer resources manager, in an email to SooToday Monday.
For more information on donating masks for SAH health care workers, please call 705-759-3434 ext. 5326 or email
Sharp Young wrote the hospital’s logistics team has been working with its community partners and provincial distributors to secure gowns, masks and other critical supplies that will be needed over the coming weeks.
“At this time, we know that all critical supplies are in short supply, and we are investigating all innovative opportunities to secure additional equipment,” Sharp Young wrote.
“We continue to make contingency plans and source supplies from all potential suppliers. We would like to ask our community to remain at the ready should we need to make an additional request for their support,” Sharp Young wrote, encouraging the public to monitor the SAH website Facebook page and Twitter for any further requests from SAH for additional support.
Meanwhile, the Group Health Centre, apart from a need for masks, seems to be holding its own in terms of medical supplies.
“We have confirmed that our inventory (outside of the provincial need for N95 masks) is ok right now. We are working with traditional and non-traditional sources to ensure a robust supply of what we require. At this time there isn’t a concern,” wrote Aja Fera, Group Health Centre (GHC) communications supervisor in an email.
