Kenosha-based Jockey International Inc. on Monday announced plans to donate personal protective equipment on a national level for health care workers battling the coronavirus, while also making targeted contributions in Kenosha and New York.
“When we learned of the critical need for PPE, we knew we had to help,” Debra Waller, chairman and chief executive officer of Jockey, said during remarks at the White House.
Waller said the company worked with Encompass Group, a Georgia-based maker of disposable and single-use medical products, to restart production of tier 3 isolation gowns. Those gowns are typically used for moderate risk scenarios including arterial blood draws, intravenous line insertion, in emergency rooms and for trauma cases, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Jockey is planning to initially donate 250,000 gowns at a pace of 30,000 to 50,000 units per week. As production ramps up, the company said it will assess the ability to increase output.
The company is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the FDA to make sure high-priority medical facilities and testing sites for COVID-19 get the initial deliveries of gowns.
“It is in our DNA to roll up our sleeves and help our country in times of need,” said Mark Fedy, president and chief operating officer of Jockey. “During World War II, we made parachutes for the U.S. military. And today, we are pleased to provide critically needed PPE for the health care workers on the front lines of this fight.”
In addition to the gowns, Jockey is donating 10,000 N95 masks and 10,000 level 1 surgical masks to the Kenosha Fire Department and 10,000 units of scrubs to doctors and nurses working at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The Javits Center has been made into a temporary hospital to handle patient overflow.
