SW Iowa Times

Health care workers everywhere need PPE, or personal protective equipment, to combat COVID-19.

That need includes workers in Page County. Recently Kris Grebert, the county’s Emergency Management Coordinator, spoke on the radio show “Morning Line” to discuss the issue, according to kmaland.com.

He said that Page County has received PPE from the State of Iowa including items such as N95 masks, hospital masks, as well as gowns, gloves, shoe coverings and face shields. 

“So far, we’ve received more than 9,100 items of PPE from the state," Grebert said. 

He said the PPE had, at first, been directed to hospitals. However, now some of that material is being sent to police as well as nursing homes in the area.

One obstacle that he has encountered are scam artists.

"We constantly get emails from companies stating they have PPE to sell. There’s a lot of scams out there. There’s a lot of unscrupulous businesses that say ‘Yeah, we’ll get you PPE.’ But when you order it, it’s back ordered for four to six months," Grebert said. 

He has found that working through public agencies has been more helpful. Also, local residents are helping out, such as farmers donating gloves and masks. The Pella Corporation has also donated 100 face shields as well.