The Thames Valley District School Board has donated a large supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline health-care workers battling COVID-19 at area hospitals.
The items given to the health care facilities in London, Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Ingersoll, and St. Thomas include 18,000 disposable gloves, hundreds of disposable gowns, respirators, and filters. The school board's supply of PPE is used by custodial staff to maintain health and safety standards, but with schools across the province closed due to the coronavirus the items weren't immediately needed.
“We collected and donated these items from our schools and custodial supplies, supporting the need locally, responding to requests for help from these health centres," said Chris Yeo, Thames Valley’s facility services manager.
The protective gear was recently delivered to the London Health Sciences Centre, Woodstock General Hospital, Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, Alexandra Hospital in Ingersoll, and Windemere Family Medical Centre in St. Thomas.