The number of Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Arizona and across the country. Those on the front lines are in dire need of personal protection equipment (PPE) as shortages of the most essential tools are becoming widespread. Phoenix College is doing its part to combat this problem by donating $8,000 worth of PPE’s from its Allied Health programs to local community partners.
The college is currently redistributing personal protection equipment from its Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Phlebotomy, Nursing and Medical Lab Technology programs to help those in the medical field during this crisis. These programs currently serve more than 600 students.
Phoenix College will share its supply of gloves, gowns, face shields and masks to its community partners, which includes St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital Clinical Laboratory and Chandler Regional Hospital. The school is also loaning two, much-needed ventilators to medical professionals at this time. The ventilators are crucial for those battling severe cases of the Coronavirus and anticipated to be in short supply as numbers continue to rise throughout April.
“At such a pivotal moment in history, we want to offer aid in whatever way we can,” said Maria Reyes, Dean of Industry & Public Service Academic Affairs of Phoenix College. “We had a surplus of PPE’s on campus right now for our educational programs and thought they would serve a greater public use with medical professionals in need.”
The United States Department of Labor states that the spread of Covid-19 can be hindered by using a combination of standard precautions, contact precautions, airborne precautions, and eye protection (e.g., goggles or face shields) to protect healthcare workers with exposure to the virus. PPE’s are necessary to keep workers on the front-lines safe from contracting and/or spreading the virus.
Phoenix College has shifted all classes to an online format and has no concrete plans to reopen to the public until it is deemed safe to do so. In the meantime, the school will continue to share its PPE supplies with its community partners.
Skype or phone interviews may be easily obtained with program faculty members by contacting Gary Campbell or Erika Keenan.
Phoenix College is the flagship of the 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. The College will be celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2020. Phoenix College offers academic courses leading to associate degrees, university transfer, certificates and short-term job training to more than 17,000 students annually.
