In a call for action, York Central MP Rachael Maskell is urging businesses that are safely remaining open in York to adapt their services in order to produce vital PPE equipment for key frontline workers in York.
A month ago, Ms Maskell wrote to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, calling upon the Government to “launch a national manufacturing effort to produce and distribute PPE to all workers who require PPE”. The Government has been slow to respond, and this has resulted in a serious shortage of available PPE to keep key workers safe, including here in York. Being described as a ‘crisis within a crisis’, the lack of PPE has left frontline workers across the country vulnerable to COVID19.
In addition to these efforts, York’s MP is urging the Government to let our communities supplement production and distribution so people have sufficient PPE and can work safely, especially in the NHS, Care settings, the community and in our food retail and production areas.
A number of community initiatives have been commenced by volunteers, however they require their material costs to be covered so that they can produce safe levels of PPE to ‘protect our protectors’.
Rachael Maskell MP is calling on local businesses contribute to this effort. One example is COVID-19 Visors York which has already delivered 100s of visors to local frontline staff. Having raised over £7,000 of donations from the community, they’re producing free PPE visors for frontline and key workers in the York area, one visor costs around 50p to produce so a donation of £5 could save 10 lives. In addition to donations, businesses are being asked to donate laminator pouches and A4 laminate sheets.
Elsewhere there are initiatives to make other PPE items, and sewers in the city are also wanting to start manufacturing protective ware.
There are of course many more ways to contribute, whether it be restaurants with spare aprons and gloves, manufacturing businesses with the transferable skills to produce PPE, or individuals with the specialist equipment and ingenuity to help produce medical supplies, it is vital that local businesses and the York community play their part in combatting this crisis within a crisis, protecting our frontline key workers and fighting back against coronavirus to ‘protect our protectors’
Rachael Maskell MP says:
“It has been hugely encouraging to see some fantastic examples of businesses and individuals working hard and adapting their services in order to provide crucial PPE, but it’s clear that we all must go further to ensure that our frontline key workers have the protection that they so dearly require. That’s why I’m calling for a mass mobilisation of local businesses in York to address the PPE shortage. Please contact my office if you think your business could help our community in the production or the supply of any vital equipment we desperately need. I have written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care today and urged him to grant the funding required to organisations that are filling the holes to produce PPE where the Government are not delivering and leaving people at risk.
“Coronavirus is risking the lives of many frontline staff, in many different roles, who are doing all they can to protect us. It is crucial that we do all we can to ensure that they are protected too.”
Go Fund Me page – https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid-19-visors-york-area