APB for PPE: County seeks donations of masks, gloves, other personal protective equipment

A health care worker conducts drive-up testing for COVID-19 at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge last month. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file

Cook County officials are asking businesses to donate any unused face shields, goggles, gloves or other personal protective equipment so it can be given to those on the front lines battling the coronavirus pandemic.

The donation program for unused protective equipment for first responders and health care workers will be overseen by the county’s Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security.

They will accept unused personal protective equipment, or PPE, according to a news release.

“We want to ensure that those in our community who are on the front lines of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic have the protection they need to safely do their work,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “During this nationwide shortage of PPE, we are facilitating the collection and distribution of this urgently needed equipment.”

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle holds a news conference to talk about the coronavirus last week.

The county is calling on closed hospitality, entertainment, educational and manufacturing facilities — as well as other businesses that might have protective equipment — to donate anything in their inventory that isn’t being used.

The county is accepting items such as eye protection, face shields and goggles, non-latex gloves, surgical face masks, disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer among other things. All materials should be in their original packaging and unopened.