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UnityPoint Health asks community for help with COVID-19

WATERLOO UnityPoint Health joins health systems across Iowa in securing enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to meet the needs of health care providers, staff and patients during COVID-19. We are working tirelessly to obtain PPE from every channel government, the private sector, new innovative companies and generous members of the public to get the protective equipment that supports our patients and caregivers. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever faced. We’re meeting it continuing to do what we do every day: provide the best patient care possible. There are three key ways community members can get involved to support UPH during this unprecedented pandemic.

How YOU can help-

Masks

We’ve been overwhelmed by the generous offers we’ve received from the community to make masks and support us in other ways. We want to begin using these masks in areas of indirect patient care to help us preserve our supplies. UnityPoint Health is collecting handmade masks.

We ask that you follow the pattern and instructions here at unitypoint.org/help when making masks. If you’ve already made masks using another pattern, that’s OK. We’ll take them! You can find instructions on how to make masks at unitypoint.org/help.

Supply Donations

We’re also collecting supplies for the masks at all drop-off locations. Supplies we’re currently collecting are:

N95 masks

Procedure masks

Face shields

Isolation-type gowns (non-sterile)

Water-shedding-type gowns (non sterile)

Mask supplies: elastic, hair ties, wax-covered string, pipe cleaners and double-sided adhesive tape

Donate Blood

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, blood centers across the country have had to cancel many of its mobile blood drives, which make up the majority of the local blood supplies. The blood supply statewide is critical. We encourage healthy members of the community to consider donating blood and blood plasma. Contact local donation centers for more information.

Allen Foundation

The work of the Allen Foundation is critical during times like these. Donations will be used to buy meals, gift cards, pay for new scrubs and other support as needed. Please consider sending a donation online, call us at (319) 235-3960, or drop off your generous donation to your local drop off spot.

Drop off location:

UnityPoint Health Allen Hospital

1825 Logan Ave.

Waterloo, IA 50703

Entrance 2 (open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. 6 p.m.)

Entrance 4 (open anytime)

Entrance 8 (open 5 a.m. 7 p.m. every day)

The most important thing everyone can do is to continue to practice physical distancing. Social distancing refers to public health interventions that can help stop infectious disease transmission by avoiding crowds and large gatherings such as weddings, concerts, conferences, sporting events, and mass transit. Best practice requires maintaining at least a six-foot distance between yourself and others.

For more ways to protect against the spread of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, and for the latest updates and guidance in this rapidly evolving situation, please visit the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov or Iowa Department of Public Health at idph.iowa.gov.

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