(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of Connecticut received its single largest shipment of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the fight to combat COVID-19. The equipment, which came from suppliers in China, has been delivered over the last couple of days to the state’s commodities warehouse in New Britain. It includes:
- 6 million surgical masks;
- 500,000 protective masks;
- 100,000 surgical gowns; and
- 100,000 temporal thermometers.
The PPE in the process of being sorted and then will be delivered to frontline workers, including first responders, hospital staff, long-term care facility staff, direct care providers, and other people on the front lines.
“Today marks another important step as we continue to battle the novel coronavirus,” Governor Lamont said. “I want to personally thank the Chinese people for their continued support during this public health crisis. I would especially like to thank the China Construction Bank for helping facilitate this shipment and for their generous donation. Further cooperation and collaboration between the United States and China is very important as we navigate this global pandemic.”
The state’s supply of PPE has been managed in a coordinated effort by the state’s unified command structure, which includes several state agencies, and its distribution has been handled by the Connecticut National Guard. As of May 11, the state has delivered 15,186,349 pieces of PPE to those in need, including:
- 5,852,086 surgical masks;
- 956,211 KN95 masks;
- 326,656 N95 masks;
- 448,435 face shields;
- 40,587 surgical gowns;
- 51,248 Tyvek coveralls; and
- 7,511,126 non-sterile gloves.
Any entity that would like to partner with the state on the procurement of PPE can fill out this form on the state’s website.