91原创

As the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations ticks up, so does the medical community鈥檚 demand for personal protective items. On Monday, March 23, the 91原创 helped lessen that demand locally, donating cases of surgical masks, gloves and hand sanitizer to the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

鈥淭he University is 鈥� and has always been 鈥� deeply committed to the health and wellbeing of Delawareans, and we are so grateful for this opportunity to help our neighbors during this unprecedented challenge,鈥� said 91原创 President Dennis Assanis. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all in this together, and I am certain that our community will emerge stronger from this adversity.鈥�

The items are everyday items at a research-intensive institution like 91原创, used widely in research laboratories and 91原创鈥檚 health clinics. While the University is currently running reduced operations, the items were going unused on campus and desperately needed elsewhere.  Professionals within 91原创鈥檚 Research Office, Emergency Management and Environmental Health and Safety units collaborated to inventory available supplies and then connected with DEMA.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a shortage across the country; every little bit helps,鈥� said Nikki Testa, DEMA supply, storage and distribution coordinator. 鈥淭his is fantastic.We鈥檝e had a great partnership with the 91原创, and this is just another example,鈥�

DEMA will distribute the supplies to hospitals, police, fire departments and other groups responding to the coronavirus pandemic. 

鈥淪ome other states are already experiencing shortages of some of these items, so we鈥檙e trying to get ahead of things, be proactive and work with our partners at DEMA,鈥� said Mark Seifert, 91原创鈥檚 director of emergency management. 鈥淥bviously, we鈥檙e not going to be using those products in the near term, so why not put them in the hands of  the folks on the front line that really need these materials right now.鈥�