Greenwood Leflore Hospital is asking for donations of handmade masks after the Mississippi State Department of Health recently recommended that all health care workers in the state, including those who don’t come in direct contact with patients, wear the protective coverings.
A COVID-19 nurse at Greenwood Leflore Hospital demonstrates proper wearing of personal protective equipment. The face shield she is wearing was made by Mike Cardillo, John Willhite and Jan Roberson from a 3D printer.
A screening-coordinator nurse wears a mask strap made by Mike Cardillo, John Willhite and Jan Roberson.
Key Britt, vice president of administrative services for Greenwood Leflore Hospital, holds a box of masks donated by Milwaukee Tool.
Hospitals across the United States and the world are dealing with shortages of masks and other personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a memo to Greenwood Leflore Hospital staff, Gary Marchand, the interim CEO, wrote the use of procedure masks will be limited to health care personnel working directly with patients.
The hospital has in stock a 10-day supply of procedure masks for clinical staff to wear in patient care areas, Christine Hemphill, the hospital’s communications director, said in an email. The hospital’s materials control department has put more orders in, though there’s no guarantee that the hospital will receive those items, she said.
Employees have been advised to use procedure masks for no more than a day. If the hospital runs out of these masks, workers can use other masks of similar quality or handmade cloth ones, according to Marchand’s memo.
All other staff who aren’t in direct contact with patients are now also encouraged to wear handmade masks. The hospital now accepts masks that contain either elastic straps or tie-ins, Hemphill said.
Since the Health Department’s new recommendation, a number of groups and residents have stepped up to donate masks to the hospital.
On Tuesday, the Greenwood City Council approved a resolution to donate $1,000 to purchase 296 filters for masks.
Milwaukee Tool donated 960 masks, and the Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation donated 266, said Angela Curry, executive director of the foundation.
Hemphill said several residents, such as Linda Burgess and Doris Britt, and hospital employees, such as Patsy Turner and Susan Long, have donated masks this week.
Mike Cardillo, John Willhite and Jan Roberson used a 3D printer to produce mask straps that prevent elastic from pulling on the ear, as well as face shields for the hospital, Hemphill added.
Others had reached out about donating masks, but the hospital could not accept them since it was prior to the Health Department’s new recommendation.
Burgess, who gave 30 masks to the hospital, said she did it out of solidarity for her two nieces who are nurses and her daughter who’s a physical therapist. “I just wanted to do something to help — something,” she said.
Burgess went online and read how to make masks. Using a paper pattern she cut out, she began making them out of cotton material she’s kept over the years.
The masks Burgess made featured straps made of elastic, a material that is hard to find in stores. “Apparently a lot of people are doing this because you can’t get elastic anywhere,” she said.
Burgess did say she intends to make more masks if she can get more elastic. If not, she may make masks that feature tie straps.
Donated masks may be dropped off with Gwen Neal at the front desk of the hospital from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
•Contact Gerard Edic at 581-7239 or gedic@gwcommonwealth.com.
