The Quest for Masks

GeekWire Health Tech

On this episode: FindTheMasks.com,GetUsPPE.org and Masks 4 WA.

The coronavirus outbreak in Washington state has not yet reached the "peak" some public health officials anticipate but already ICU physicians like Mike Holmes are grappling with a dearth of necessary supplies.

Holmes described an "extreme shortage" of masks he and his colleagues at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle need to treat COVID-19 patients. "We are now reusing single-use masks over and over and over again," he said.

It's a challenge facing healthcare workers across Washington, who are asking the general public to donate any personal protective equipment (PPE) they have. Though Washington is receiving some supplies from the federal stockpile of protective equipment, people on the front lines of the crisis say it is not enough.

But long before Washington became a hotspot for COVID-19, it was an epicenter of innovation, home to Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, and hundreds of tech startups known for creative problem-solving. Many of those innovators are now stepping up to find ways around supply chain challenges and the global shortage of protective gear for healthcare providers. GeekWire's Monica Nickelsburg joins us with the story on this special episode of the GeekWire Health Tech Podcast.

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