Andover donates 4,000 face masks

“When we checked the supply, we saw that there were N95 masks, the ones in shortest supply currently for frontline healthcare workers and first responders,” says Patel. “I reached out to my network of Massachusetts physicians, and the need was huge. In an hour, there were 30 physicians requesting masks for their hospitals across Massachusetts.”

The N95 respirators are key protective devices in the fight against coronavirus because they protect healthcare workers from inhaling harmful airborne particles by providing a close facial fit and efficient filtration.

Andover donated 3,000 N95 masks to Massachusetts hospitals and 1,000 to Andover first responders.

“The physicians were grateful for Phillips Academy’s support of frontline healthcare team members,” she says. “Each of them shared stories of incredible scarcity of supplies, especially N95 masks. I knew the need was large, but hearing stories from those working in our local emergency rooms, intensive care units, hospital floors (including COVID units), and COVID testing sites really brought a deeper understanding to this critical shortage.”