USD Gathers Protective Equipment for Local Health Care Workers
The University of South Dakota community donated an abundance of personal protective equipment to local health care systems after President Sheila K. Gestring requested the campus be searched for excess supplies.
For two weeks, the university held an equipment collection drive to gather essential supplies for health care communities that have been in danger of running short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After searching labs, closets and classrooms, the university community donated the following.
- Over 250 boxes of disposable gloves
- 1,500 disposable masks, includes both N-95 respirators and surgical masks
- 50 pairs of safety glasses
- Hundreds of disposable jackets and gowns
“We were not surprised by the generosity of the USD community, and we are so grateful to everyone who donated supplies,” said Kevin O’Kelley, assistant vice president for research compliance and lead of the collection drive. “As the impacts of COVID-19 worsens, every donation counts.”
The protective equipment was distributed to Sesdac in Vermillion, the Vermillion Fire EMS Department, Sanford Vermillion and LifeScape in Sioux Falls.
