Written by Jennifer Chien
Translated by Diana Chang
Edited by Dilber Shatursun
Protective medical supplies are increasingly scarce with the spread of the 2019-nCoV. Fortunately, Tzu Chi USA was able to procure enough to send as a second bulk shipment to China. Volunteers organized and packed supplies for customs clearance on Friday, February 14th, Valentine’s Day, in an effort to send help with love. Read all about our first shipment here and how we provided supplies to those quarantined after returning from China.
The Tzu Chi Medical Foundation’s Dr. TC Chang expended much effort to help volunteers source and order the items. Seeing the many boxes of surgical masks, N95 respirators, goggles, medical gowns, and other supplies in the Tzu Chi USA Medical Foundation’s office, volunteers went straight to packing the materials as efficiently as possible.
Tzu Chi volunteer Mary Keh explained:
Due to the shortage of medical supplies in the States, many orders have been cancelled or reduced. Everyone’s worried about these issues and can only pray in the meantime and hope to receive the goods. Fortunately, we received the second order. Our volunteers are very excited and happy to help pack this next shipment.
In this second shipment, there are:
3,600 surgical masks
600 N95 respirators
221 safety goggles
90 standard precaution kits
Altogether, it made for 14 cases of medical supplies ready for shipment and waiting for customs clearance. As we wait for this shipment to reach its destination, our volunteers are currently working on getting its next batch of medical supplies. You can help.
Contribute to our fundraiser, Providing Relief During the New Coronavirus Outbreak, in any of the following ways:
download Tzu Chi Connect & find the Relief as COVID-19 Spreads card
text “MedicalAid” to 91999
send a check or MO made payable to “Tzu Chi” and mail it to your local Tzu Chi office
send a bulk, in-kind donation of medical gowns (2,500 ct. or more) and N95 respirator masks (4,000 ct. or more)
Every contribution makes a difference. Just ask Susan Seats, an American EFL teacher who was evacuated from Wuhan, China, to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California. There, like many other evacuees, she was placed into a two week quarantine where there was limited access to ordinary physical comforts.
Tzu Chi volunteers sent supplies, including our signature eco-friendly blankets. Of the blanket she received, Susan wrote a heartfelt note of thanks.
I wanted to write and thank you so much for your kindness in donating those wonderful blankets. I felt more comfortable sleeping on the couch every night and had only your blanket to keep me warm. It was soft, cozy and warm. I will forever use that blanket as it is a very good reminder of the unusual experience and sad times for so many directly affected by the virus.
Your charitable donation can make all the difference for all the people like Susan whose lives have been touched by the new coronavirus pandemic. Together, we can do more!
