Media Release:
Faced with a critical need for more face masks, Essentia Health continues to need the public’s help to keep our patients and staff safe. To date, we’ve collected about 2,000 masks here in Fargo and we are truly grateful for the outpouring of support our community has shown us.
As we continue to fight COVID-19, more handmade cloth masks are needed to ensure the safety of our patients and staff. The virus is spread via droplet transmission, so it’s crucially important to cover as many mouths and noses as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people to wear face coverings in public settings, especially where social distancing might not be possible.
Donations can be dropped off on Wednesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the South University Clinic, located at 1702 South University Drive, Fargo. Donors are asked to pull up into the valet parking loop off University Drive. Drivers should remain in their vehicles and wait for site staff to collect their donations.
“We are so grateful for the kindness, generosity and talent of our community,” said Tonya Loken, community relations program manager at Essentia Health. “People are putting their heart and soul into handsewn masks that are vital to the health and safety of our colleagues and patients.”
Step-by-step instructions for preferred mask designs can be found at EssentiaHealth.org/masks.
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