According to B.C. care providers, masks and medical supplies are “drying up” due to COVID-19 concerns. The senior care providers are urging the public to stop buying masks.
The associations representing care providers in B.C. are reminding healthy individuals not to hoard medical supplies such as surgical and heavy-duty N95 masks. In a release by the BC Care Providers Association and SafeCare BC, the supplies of masks and gloves for B.C. care providers are “drying up” and costs are “spiking”.
The SafeCare BC stated that it surveyed its members and discovered more than half of respondents were having issues ordering personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer.
The care home operators have reported increasing difficulty obtaining items such as surgical masks and gloves due to the surge in public demand brought about by concerns over the coronavirus disease.
The older individuals with underlying chronic health conditions especially those living in care homes are highly susceptible to COVID-19. It is vital to keep workers, the elderly, and their family members safe.
One way to maintain the regular flow of supplies to health care facilities and care homes is to refrain from making unnecessary purchases or hoarding medical supplies.
When healthy individuals buy items such as surgical masks, they are increasing the risk that care workers will not have them at care homes or when they provide home care. People are encouraged to refrain from buying medical supplies unless they are sick and eager to lessen the risk to other people.
For more information about this story, click here.
LEARN MORE
Learn how to stay safe by enrolling in a mask fitting test which is a requirement for many workplaces and school admissions or check out our available masks for sale by visiting our face mask sale page.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/cloth-face-coverings-information.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html