Officials discuss prioritization of PPE distribution
Oakland County has distributed millions of pieces of personal protective equipment to first responders, hospitals, and long-term care facilities since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in March.
Sean Carlson, deputy county executive, said the county is no longer receiving regular shipments of PPE fromthe state, adding that the county is now purchasing additional PPE as needed to maintain stockpile inventory.
“Masks and gloves are the still the items most requested,” he said. “Surgical grade gloves are an item that are still difficult to get in large quantities and the county continues to purchase them as they become available.”
Although the county has received much PPE from the state and through its own procurement processes, many big name companies have stepped up over the last seven months to donate critical pieces of PPE to the Oakland County Emergency Operation Centers’ stockpile.
The organizations that have donated the most N95 and KN95 masks to the county include:
• DTE (376,220)
• Meijer (100,000)
• Fiat Chrysler (50,000)
• McKesson (102,400). General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Fiat Chrysler have also donated 202,320 and 79,800, and 85,000 procedure masks to the county, respectively.
The county has been prioritizing distribution of PPE to:
• Hospitals, including psychiatric hospitals
• EMS Services
• Long term care facilities and hospice centers
• Alternate care facilities
• All public health agencies
for outbreak investigations
• Law enforcement agencies Once front-line individuals and organizations have PPE, other organizations can receive PPE including:
• Small businesses (under 200 employees, located in Oakland County) to reduce barriers to opening/ re-opening
• Other healthcare facilities (congregate settings, behavioral health residential facilities, outpatient clinics)
• Jails
• Crisis responders
• Medical examiners
• Funeral homes
• Childcare centers
• Quarantine facilities
• Doctors office
• Dentist offices
• Schools
Since March, the Oakland County Emergency Operations Center has received over 2.7 million N95 and KN95 masks in addition to millions of gowns, face shields, medical and non-medical grade gloves, safety glasses, coveralls, caps, shoe covers, hand sanitizer, wipes, and thermometers.
Most of the N95 and KN95 masks are being distributed
to first responders, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. To date, the county has distributed over 1 million N95 and KN95 masks.
Procedure masks are currently in greatest supply and have been distributed more than any other piece of PPE that the county has inits stockpile. To date, the county has received over 4 million procedural masks, with over 2million distributed (over 1 million have been dispersed to area hospitals and healthcare organizations).
First responders
N95 masks, procedural masks and face shields have also been donated to first responders in Sylvan Lake, Auburn Hills, Birmingham, Orchard Lake, Waterford, Southfield, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Bloomfield Township, Rochester, and Huntington Woods in addition to other EMS agencies across the county.
To date, nearly 200,000 N95 and Kn95 masks have been distributed to Oakland County first responders in addition to 270,000 procedure masks.
Ano ther 36,6580 gowns, 15,306 face shields, 16,894 pairs of gloves, 4,285 safety glasses, 38,942 bottles of hand sanitizer, and 495 thermometers have been distributed to first responders among other items.
Long-term care facilities
The county has distributed over 240,000 N95 and KN95 masks to over 160 long-term care facilities in addition to 268,910 procedure masks, 76,938 gowns, 74,089 face shields, 15 thermometers, 2,049 pairs of gloves, and 7,000 bottles of hand sanitizer among other items.
Hospitals
The hospital systems in Oakland County have received over 330,000 N95 and KN95 masks, 648,100 procedure masks, 34,4234 gowns, 85,134 face shields, 35,584 pairs of gloves, 7,640 shoe covers, and 123 body bags among other items.
The items most requested include N95/KN95 masks, procedure masks, and face shields.
Hospital systems and hospitals that have received PPE include Ascension, Beaumont Health, Henry Ford Health, Detroit Medical Center, McLaren, St. Joseph Mercy, Pontiac General, Surgeons Choice, Straith Hospital, and Pioneer Speciality Hospital.
In addition to providing PPE to first responders, hospitals, and long-term care facilities countywide, the county has been using its PPE supply to ensure its own essential and frontline workers are safe, which includes those working at the health division, homeland security division, sheriff’s office, parks and recreation, and economic development.