Liz Copan / ecopan@summitdaily.com
Supply chains for personal protective equipment are improving, Summit County Emergency Management Director Brian Bovaird said at Thursday’s Board of Health meeting.
A nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment like masks, gowns and gloves has left local governments asking for more. In Summit County, some of the equipment orders have started to come in, suggesting that the overall supply chain is improving, Bovaird said at the meeting.
Last week, the county received 2,000 N95 masks and 2,000 isolation gowns from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The order for those materials was placed six to eight weeks ago.
“(It’s) a promising sign that the supply chains and everything we’ve been hearing about are starting to open up a bit,” he said.
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The county hasn’t experienced a surge of patients, and health care workers are confident in St. Anthony Summit Medical Center’s ability to handle new cases, Bovaird said.
“We’re in good shape right now with (personal protective equipment),” Bovaird said. “Nobody at this point has been expressing any concerns over a shortage of anything.”
In addition, Bovaird said the county is waiting on more orders of personal protective equipment so the hospital will be stocked for any future surges. He expects to receive another delivery in the coming weeks.
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