An allotment from the Strategic National Stockpile arrived Saturday (yesterday). State government will be shipping the supplies to the local health departments and the counties will deliver the resources to healthcare facilities and 1st responders (just like we did during H1N1). Last week’s shipment includes:
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60,900 N95 masks;
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244,000 surgical face masks;
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26,208 face shields;
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22,200 surgical gowns;
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102 coveralls; and
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90,000 sets of gloves.
Don’t celebrate too much though. This shipment isn’t enough to meet the needs out there right now. Counties will likely be prioritizing acute care facilities to protect those who are providing care to patients who are the most sick.
Outpatient providers have the option to use telehealth or refuse patients, which is not ideal but offers some relief. Maricopa County is planning to provide some PPE to long term care facilities who care for the most vulnerable patients and would be impacted the most by an outbreak.
Yesterday’s shipment is 25% of the stockpile that’s earmarked for AZ.