Roanoke City Health Department distributes PPE, masks to clinics in need

Health department workers distributed more than 1,500 N-95 masks and 40 boxes of gloves

ROANOKE, Va. – Personal protective equipment, or PPE, has become a literal lifesaver for healthcare workers.

Smaller healthcare facilities in and around Roanoke had a chance to stock up on those important supplies for free on Wednesday afternoon.

The Roanoke City Health Department gave away PPE and other essential supplies to care centers not affiliated with Carilion Clinic or LewisGale. That includes free clinics, urgent care centers and hospice facilities.

Health department workers distributed more than 1,500 N-95 masks and 40 boxes of gloves. They said these supplies are meant to help stop the spread wherever people are most at-risk.

“You can’t stop everything. You can’t stop people getting to their cancer treatment, you can’t stop dialysis, you can’t stop people from living in hospices and at-home facilities," sad Dakota Burhman with the Roanoke City Health Department. You have to prepare for these people, who are very vulnerable to get this virus. The only way we can prepare at this point is with PPE and social distancing.”