California National Guard flies in ventilators for region
The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) reported that the 146th Airlift Wing of the California National Guard delivered a shipment of ventilators destined for Delaware, Maryland, and Washington D.C to the Delaware Guard’s 166th Airlift Wing based in New Castle.
This transfer was made possible through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) which enables states to share resources, such as equipment and personnel, during times of need.
The EMAC is used during natural disasters such hurricanes and wildfires. In recent EMAC missions, Delaware has supported Kansas, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico.
This mission was coordinated through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The Delaware Emergency Management Agency thanked California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his support.
“We are especially thankful for all of the men and women in uniform who made the transfer possible. It is our sincere hope that Delaware will not require the use of these ventilators and that we may be able to support surrounding states if needed. We are in this together,” DEMA stated.
Easter Bunny pickups this weekend
DonateDelaware has announced special Easter bunny medical supply pickups on Saturday and Sunday in New Castle County neighborhoods, with the help of fire companies.
Visits are expected in the Christiana area, Delaware City/St. Georges and Hockessin.
The organization, following up on its success in other collection efforts, is looking for the following for front line workers in the coronavirus battle
- All types of unused protective face masks, especially N95 masks
- Protective suits and medical scrubs
- Goggles, safety glasses and face shields
- Cleaning and sterilizing solutions and wipes
- Medical gloves
- Digital and disposable thermometers
- Hand sanitizer
- Disposable stethoscopes
- New, smartphone chargers and cords.
Click here to request a visit to your neighborhood. The deadline is 12 p.m. Friday.
Blood Bank joins COVID-19 plasma donation effort
Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) will join other blood centers around the country to collect plasma donations from people who have recovered from COVID-19 to treat other patients with advanced COVID-19 infections.
In the treatment, known as convalescent plasma, the patient is transfused with the donor’s plasma with the goal of using the donor’s antibodies to help clear the virus more rapidly.
On March 24 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the collection of plasma from individuals who have recovered from coronavirus to treat seriously ill patients, and BBD will be joining this effort. It is yet not known if the antibodies will affect outcomes
“We’re proud to partner with leading medical institutions from Delmarva and beyond in developing this potential treatment,” said Beth H. Shaz, M.D., chief medical and scientific officer at New York Blood Center Enterprises, owner of Blood Bank of Delmarva. “If this treatment proves to be effective, we are prepared to quickly scale our process and activate our network to serve hospitals nationwide.”
