Lifesaving equipment underground has made its way to surface to assist those working on the front lines of the COVID-19 epidemic.

SNOLAB announced Friday it is donating hundreds of pieces of personal protective equipment to Health Sciences North for staff members who are working under life-threatening conditions.

“Research institutions around the world are co-ordinating on initiatives to assist medical teams in responding to COVID-19,” the Creighton-based lab said in a release. “As this situation evolves, scientists and technicians are offering to put their skills, equipment and expertise to use to contribute to local and global response efforts.

With personal protective equipment for front-line workers being an immediate concern, SNOLAB took an inventory of cleanroom PPE on-site and brought much of it up from underground earlier this week.

“The science team has been in contact with Health Sciences North to determine where we can help meet the needs of local health-care workers,” the research organization said.

SNOLAB is donating 530 N95 masks; 480 boxes of Nitrile medical exam gloves; four faceshields; two pairs of splash-resistant goggles; 925 Tyvek disposable suits (37 boxes of 25 each); 830 disposable booties; 14 packs of disposable petri dishes (there are 25 per pack); first aid supplies; and 32 litres of 70 per cent isopropanol.

Nigel Smith, executive director, said SNOLAB is proud to be able to support health-care workers on the front lines.

“Canada has been extremely supportive to SNOLAB over the years, and it is great we are able to contribute back in these positive ways,” he said. “At times like this, community matters more than ever. Stay home, keep the community safe and look out for one another.”

Like other facilities, SNOLAB is engaged in provincial and federal initiatives to collate information about the research capabilities that may be useful moving forward.

“Understanding where we can contribute, and taking skills and material inventories, will give us the ability to respond quickly when requests come in,” the research facility said. “SNOLAB is co-ordinating with other research and development initiatives and is working to identify other capabilities or personnel that could be useful to medical teams at some point. These capabilities include chemical and assay expertise; computing and data analysis support; machining; 3D printing; and machining skills. If opportunities come up, SNOLAB will support staff who can assist with these initiatives.”

Is there a group or individual in Sudbury that you feel deserves credit for helping us get through this crisis? If so, send an email to dmacdonald@postmedia.com.

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