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Protect Our Doctors & Nurses. The Brooklyn Sustainable PPE Project Empowering our community hospitals, clinics and nursing homes to protect themselves P2 The Problem • P3 The Solution • P4 Just Imagine What We Can Do Together!
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The Brooklyn Sustainable PPE Project READ NOW
Across NYC, the desperate search for PPE to protect our frontline healthcare workers dominated our attention and energy during the critical weeks of the COVID surge.
The Problem A Treacherous Unpredicatable & Unsustainable N95 Market
The shortage of N95 masks resulted in desperate attempts to secure scarce su lies ro China ruthless bidding wars rivate ets own across oceans to retrieve precious packages, and the day-to-day devastation of healthcare workers who turned up to work with no protection against a deadly virus. The toll this took on the healthcare co unity is i easurable And yet we nd ourselves now onths later, still searching for elusive PPE in a market that is growing ever more treacherous. For those hospitals and communities that are most disadvantaged by structural racism and the poverty and inequities that it creates, the battle for PPE was never won, at great cost to its employees and patients. Come a second peak of this virus or a new pandemic, these hospitals and their dedicated workers will again be devastated by their inability to procure the millions of N95s needed to keep their people safe. And we know from bitter experience that federal and state administration will not be coming to the rescue. Just as NYC lead the charge into the battle against COVID 5 months ago, it is now up to us to forge the path to sustainable PPE. As COVID rips through the states around us, we have this brief period of time to take action for the future safety of NYC healthcare workers. It is our responsibility to eliminate our dependence on N95s and establish a new, safe, sustainable and sane approach to PPE. It’s time to lead the way for our city, our state, and our nation.
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The Brooklyn Sustainable PPE Project
The Solution Reusable Respirators
Reusable or Elastomeric Respirators are safe, durable, sterilize-able masks that can be used and reused for as long as needed. They provide healthcare workers with safe, dependable, long-term protection against infection with coronavirus that is equivalent or better than the protection afforded by N95s [1]. They are also frequently reported to be more comfortable, easier to breathe through, and less likely to cause skin irritation than standard disposable masks when used for long periods of time.
Sustainable Economics At a fraction of the cost of constantly replacing N95s, a hospital can be equipped with enough reusable respirators to cover every one of their frontline healthcare workers.
Not only are reusable respirators safe and comfortable for our healthcare workers, they also represent a significant benefit in terms of cost and environmental savings.
Sustainable Environment Impact The COVID pandemic has resulted in a rising volume of medical waste being produced by healthcare facilities the world over – major cities have reported that up to 280 more tons of medical waste were produced per day during the pandemic [2]. The use of reusable respirators will dramatically decrease the amount of solid medical waste being produced across NYC every single day, easing the burden on waste management systems and the strain on our environment.
1 Respirator replaces hundreds of Disposable N95 Masks & saves thousands of dollars and mountains of medical waste per week per healthcare worker!
vs 1 Reusable Elastomeric Respirator Set Costs $40
An elastomeric mask and its accessories costs $40. An N95 at current market pricing costs $3-$5. During pandemic conditions an ICU or ER nurse could be expected to use 30-40 N95s per day if they were being used according to standard safety protocols rather than rationing protocols. So the use of one elastomeric respirator could save approximately 240 N95s per healthcare worker per week. That’s a cost saving of over $1000 per healthcare worker per week, for the long term.
Sustainable Care for Workers This solution has been implemented in several innovative health systems across the country with stunning results. Recently, the Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh implemented a widespread elastomeric respirator program and reported that within one month they reduced the number of N95s needed by their network by 95%. The cost of the program was 10 times less per month than purchasing disposable N95s [3]. Apart from the practical advantages of transitioning to reusable respirators, the freedom from the anxiety and stress of the constant search for N95s is a significant benefit for both health system administrators and our healthcare workers themselves.
By equipping healthcare facilities with supplies of reusable respirators now we can ensure that they will be protected during the COVID pandemic and beyond, no matter what happens with the global market for PPE. 1 N95 Costs $3-$5
Lasts for only 1 patient encounter
Lasts for years
References: 1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/elastomeric-respirators-strategy/index.html | 2. COVID-19's unsustainable waste management. Siming You, Christian Sonne, Yong Sik Ok. Science 26 Jun 2020:Vol. 368, Issue 6498, pp. 1438 | 3. Implementation of an Elastomeric Mask Program Eliminates Dependence on Disposable N95s: Results from a Large Academic Medical Center. Sricharan Chalikonda MD,MHA,FACS;Hope Waltenbaugh MSN,RN,CNOR,NE-BC; Sara Angelilli MSN,RN,CNOR; Tiffany Dumont,DO;Curt Kvasager;Timothy Sauber MD;Nino Servello CRNA; Anil Singh MD;Rafael Diaz-Garcia MD FACS . Allegheny Health Network Clinical Operations, Pittsburgh PA
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The Brooklyn Sustainable PPE Project Covid Courage is working with the New York City Public Advocate's Office and the New York State Nurses Association to equip Brooklyn healthcare facilities with reusable respirators. Together we can ensure that every frontline healthcare worker in Brooklyn is equipped and prepared to care safely for our community during COVID and beyond. This is an investment in our people, our communities and our health that demands our action NOW. LET’S NOT WAIT!
Just Imagine TOGETHER We Can Protect Our Healthcare Workers for the Long Term!
WHAT CAN YOU OR YOUR COMPANY DO? You can stand with us to protect Brooklyn healthcare workers by donating FUNDS or RESPIRATORS. Just $100,000 will purchase 2,500 respirators and protect ALL of the frontline workers in a Brooklyn community hospital. A donation as small as $40 will buy a mask that protects one healthcare worker EVERY DAY for the rest of the COVID pandemic.
$100,000 Cover an entire hospital with 2500 reusable respirators
$12,000 Cover a nursing home with 300 reusable respirators
$2,400
$40 Cover one healthcare worker
Cover an ICU team with 60 reusable respirators
with 1 reusable respirator
JOIN US AND STAND WITH NYC HEALTHCARE WORKERS!
For individual, group or corporate contributions, to become a partner, or to inquire about title sponsorship and corporate social responsibility opportunities, email contact@covidcourage.is or call 917.318.9834. To donate now, visit www.covidcourage.is
Dr. Anu Anandaraja
Elizabeth Stern
Jinean Robinson
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The Brooklyn Sustainable PPE Project www.CovidCourage.is