SAINT JOHN, N.B. -- With some of their regular studies on hold because of COVID-19, students at Dalhousie Medicine in Saint John, N.B., have turned their attention to helping the city’s medical community cope with one of the ripple effects of the pandemic.
Some doctors’ offices are running short of medical supplies that are normally well-stocked.
These include a variety of masks and gloves used by family doctors and specialists during routine office examinations.
“Some people are running out of gloves,” says Dr. Doug Hall, who has a family practice in the Hampton, N.B., area.
As for the number 1 item on his wish list, Hall says, “just regular surgical masks would be helpful.”
With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing in New Brunswick, Hall says the use of masks is increasing too.
“I’m sure more masks are being used, just because people are being cautious,” he adds.
When medical students on the Saint John campus found out about the shortages they launched a campaign to locate supplies within the community.
“Many of the doctors have supplies on back order with the manufacturers, but the normal supply change is not keeping up,” says second-year medical student Valancy Cole, who is also the student representative for the Saint John Medical Society.
She says among the supplies most urgently needed are: surgical masks and N-95 masks; face shields; goggles and other protective eyewear; hand sanitizer; examination gloves; disposable gowns; and disposable overalls.
The students are hoping that companies in the local construction industry and other businesses may have their own stockpiles of some of the equipment and would be willing to share.
Dr. Hall agrees.
“For N-95 masks, a lot of people in the construction industry use them,” he says.
Cole says any supplies that are donated, will be distributed by the medical society to doctors’ offices outside of hospitals.
For more information or to donate, the students can be reached at donate4doctors@gmail.com.
