Michigan now has thousands of cases of coronavirus, with most of them centralized downstate.
Now, Detroit area hospitals are starting to run out of room.
Munson Healthcare says they predict the Northern Michigan area is about 10 days behind what’s happening in that area and they’re preparing a “Plan B” if their system gets overcrowded.
Munson says they plan to centralize any COVID-19 patients at three system hospitals: Grayling, Cadillac and Traverse City. Those locations have the most centralized equipment, a step-down ICU and full telemedicine capacity.
If those get full, then they’ll put patients in Munson’s other six hospital locations. From there, they’ll move people to local surgery centers or healthcare facilities, and if that’s not enough, they will have to get creative.
“From there we’d move in to other entities, other surgery centers, around the region, it expands from there we have teams working on what are other locations we could use?” said Dianne Michalke, Munson’s Vice President of marketing and communications.
Munson is running out of medical supplies and they’re asking for donations. They need the following things:
- Disposable face masks
- Disposable stethoscopes
- Thermometers
- N95 masks, sometimes called respirators
- Eye protection including face shields and safety goggles
- Disposable gowns
- Disposable gloves, especially non-latex
- Disposable surgical caps
- Disposable foot covers
- Wipes: bleach or antimicrobial
- Hand sanitizer
More specialized items include:
- PAPRs (powered air-purifying respirators) and PAPR hoods
- Nasal testing swabs
- Viral testing kits
Hand-sewn face masks:
for creating approved hand-sewn face masks or . (Courtesy of Phoebe Health Systems)
Material list:
- Operating room linens or other breathable, water-repellent fabric (or cotton fabric if these are unavailable)
- ¼-Inch, 1/8-inch, or 3/8-inch wide elastic
- Pins
- Thimbles
- Fabric scissors
- Heavy paper for patterns
- Cardboard (optional)
- Sewing machine
- Thread
Read more here:
The Grand Traverse Health Department is also accepting donations. To schedule a time to drop off donations, please call 231- 995-6024, Monday – Friday, 8:00-5:00 p.m. Please keep in mind that the building is closed to the public and donations can only be accepted if appointments are made. A member of the health department staff will meet all those bringing items for donations at the curb. Donated items past expiration date will be accepted.
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