For those who must leave the relative safety of their home during this coronavirus pandemic, the Center for Disease Control recommends wearing a mask. Boothbay Region Health Center has a small supply for a growing daily demand. But the supply is growing due to several community donations. The center has received both disposable and cloth face masks from several local organizations. On BRHC’s Facebook page March 29, the center began thanking them for donating personal protective gear. The donations serve a dual purpose, protecting both staff and patients.  

The first Facebook thanks went to Boothbay Region Lions Club which made a donation large enough to buy staff personal protective gear. A second donation arrived from Lincoln County Dental in Wiscasset. LCD donated face masks for patients to wear for a medical office visit at the health center’s Boothbay Harbor clinic. 

Hodgdon Yachts assisted the center in buying a case of Tyvec suits, a limited-use protective suit made of spunste polyethylene. The suits keeps particulate matter, light oil and liquid away from the wearer. Boothbay’s public works department donated 40 N95 masks and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens donated 20 N95 masks.

On April 10, BRHC began the day with 17 masks ready for distribution, and by noon had given out eight. The center began receiving cloth masks from several local sewists after the CDC recommendation last month. “We need more sewers because demand is greater than supply” said BRHC Clinical Care Manager Robyn Ham. “I have 30 here to wash tonight. I sterilize them and individually bag them with washing instructions and they will be available tomorrow morning.”