FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. - The Fayette County Schools are stepping up to help Piedmont Fayette Hospital fight against the coronavirus with badly-needed medical supplies.
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The schools have emptied out their science labs, health classes and nurses clinics of goggles, masks, and gowns. They’ve donated them to the hospital for their fight against COVID-19.
As of noon Wednesday, Fayette County had 48 cases of coronavirus and four deaths. Fayette County was among the first to report a confirmed COVID-19 case in early March. And so the call went out then for badly needed medical supplies. And the school system answered.
Schools such as Whitewater High School, which donated masks, gowns and gloves from its science and health departments.
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School district donates to hospital
Fayette County school district donated supplies to area hospital.
Know how the COVID-19 outbreak is impacting Georgia
“We were all on a Zoom call together and teachers were saying I got this and I got that,” said Kelly Hoofnagel, an assistant principal at Whitewater High School. “We got it all put together really fast.”
With Fayette County schools closed and students learning online, teachers and administrators felt there was no better use for the healthcare supplies, so they donated them to Piedmont Fayette Hospital to help those on the county’s frontline fighting the virus.
Mike Sanders, an assistant superintendent, gave FOX 5 an inventory.
“Around 1,600 goggles, primarily from our sciences labs in middle schools and high schools, about 2,600 masks, 415 gowns, 130 surgical caps, and 250 boxes of gloves,” Sanders said.
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As you can imagine the supplies were greatly appreciated.
“As we go through this week after week, these types of partnerships and generosity of sharing these supplies have become very critical to us,” said Debbie Britt, executive director of patient services at Piedmont Fayette Hospital.
"Its neighbor helping neighbor is what we are talking about,” said Dr. Joseph Barrow, the superintendent of Fayette County Schools.
In addition, there is a group of about 30 Fayette County special education teachers who are sewing masks for first responders.
SEE ALSO: Kemp to order shelter-in-place, closing Georgia schools to fight coronavirus
Best prevention measures:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least twenty seconds.
- If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
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