CSULB donates face masks, other supplies to area hospitals

Published April 3, 2020

Cal State Long Beach has donated its surplus of face masks to area hospitals in an effort to help the medical workforce combat the coronavirus.

Dr. Kimberly Fodran, interim co-director and Chief of Medical Staff of the CSULB Student Health Services, said 2,000 masks each were delivered to Dignity St. Mary Medical Center and MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, as well as 1,000 masks to another area hospital.

“It’s widely known that personal protective equipment for our front line medical personnel are in short supply and hospitals are rationing them significantly,” Dr. Fodran said. “So, I have been working with our Emergency Operations Coordinator, Allyson Joy, as well as our head Director of Environmental Health and Safety, George Alfaro, to make sure we have an adequate supply on campus and are able to donate to area hospitals.”

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Several departments on campus, such as College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, reached out to Dr. Fodran offering supplies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. CNSM faculty and staff donated 38 cases of gloves, along with other items, after Dean Curtis Bennett received an email from recent alum Shelby Lim, who now works in the healthcare field, asking if the College could help out.

The Mammal Lab added its surplus of gloves and other protective supplies to the CNSM donation collection.

In a letter to CSULB, John Bishop, CEO of MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center, said his staff was “truly grateful for your willingness to help. These supplies will help us continue to keep our caregivers and patients safe.”