Researchers and labs from across the University of Oregon have donated thousands of masks, medical supplies and personal protective equipment items to help local medical providers respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UO Incident Management Team coordinated the campuswide effort to help the Lane County Public Health Division build a stockpile of vital equipment for its COVID-19 (coronavirus) response, addressing local and nationwide concerns that the magnitude of the pandemic could cause shortages in critical medical supplies.

County officials will distribute the donated supplies throughout the region to medical professionals treating COVID-19 patients. Most of the equipment donated by the UO is expected to land at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend and McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.

“We are really grateful that we have been able to come together to support our health care workers and others on the front line of the COVID-19 response,” said Cassandra Moseley, senior associate vice president for research and innovation, who is acting as deputy incident commander for the University’s COVID-19 response.

The faculty and staff members who contributed to the donation effort represent 36 research departments and labs across campus, including biology, biochemistry and chemistry, human physiology, earth sciences, anthropology, physics, the institutes of Molecular Biology, Neuroscience and Ecology and Evolution, Lewis Center for Neuroimaging, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and College of Design.

Representatives from UO Environmental Health and Safety collected the supplies while adhering to proper health and safety protocols. Donations included 55,900 gloves, 370 NP95 masks, 3,000 surgical masks and several boxes of gauze pads, alcohol wipes, hand sanitizer and face shields.