Frontline Suits
Donation protected
Thanks to you, we have donated 2000+ washable suits and face shields to frontline healthcare workers in NYC and across the country.
Given the overwhelmingly positive response, we are expanding to donate washable head-to-toe suits to more healthcare workers based on demand! All funds that exceed the supply of suits will go toward vetted COVID19 response efforts.
See www.FrontlineSuits.com and read our CNN op-ed here!
WHY WE ARE DONATING WASHABLE COVERALL SUITS
In a Harvard study of Wuhan’s public health measures, full suits —together with N95 masks, goggles, face shields, and gloves — helped reduce healthcare worker infections to zero.
In comparison, the standard US protective wear involves a mask, sheer gown, and gloves, which exposes the bare neck, the back of the scrubs, and other areas. (Click here to compare the standard gear of US vs China/Italy).
As individual healthcare workers, we may not be able to use medical-grade hazmat suits, but we can change the practice of what we wear under our PPE. We currently expose our scrubs and bare arms in the hospital, which can carry contaminants into our homes, onto subways or in rideshare cars. This campaign aims to decrease the amount of exposure of our scrubs and bare arms at work by wearing clothing that covers a greater surface area of the body. One such type of clothing is a coverall.
Instead of disposing of them daily, we can use washable head-to-toe suits for a more sustainable and cost-effective solution.
This fundraiser serves to 1) decrease the amount of exposure of our scrubs and bodies to hospital contaminants, and 2) advocate for a higher standard of protection for healthcare workers across the country.
MY STORY FROM THE FRONTLINES
Every day, I have come home from work extremely humbled by my colleagues: nurses, physicians, custodians, and technicians. I can’t fully describe the degree to which my coworkers have fought for patients, but I can tell you that it has involved a lot of blood, sweat, and tears -- literally.
I’m an emergency physician in NYC, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been working in both the emergency room and the intensive care unit -- areas that are packed with COVID+ patients. When a patient loses a pulse, any one of us will jump in to do CPR, another will place a breathing tube, and another will place an IV. All of these procedures expose multiple staff members in a high-risk manner, aerosolizing secretions in a crowded space and contaminating multiple areas of our bodies.
Every time I lead a resuscitation, I am thinking: how can we continue giving 100% effort, while also keeping the entire team safe? Are the masks and gowns enough?
Since we started this fundraised initiative, we were able to donate 1000+ washable coverall suits to NYC healthcare workers. The response has been tremendous, and the demand has skyrocketed. Healthcare workers have been tremendously grateful to finally have a way to cover their bodies and keep their scrubs clean when they leave to hospitals and go home. They are asking for more - so we are expanding our fundraiser and working with manufacturers to supply them!
Instead of exposing our scrubs, let's get covered with coverall suits. Wash, rinse, repeat, and continue to fight for our patients' lives.
GOALS
Our goal is to donate a washable suit to as many frontline healthcare workers routinely exposed to COVID-19. We hope that this will bolster systemic change in hospitals around the country to provide healthcare workers with full protective gear.
REQUEST A SUIT
If you are a frontline healthcare worker anywhere, request one washable suit in this request form . We cannot promise availability, but the more providers from a hospital request a suit, the greater the chance we can supply your providers.
WHO WE ARE
Alicia Lu is an emergency physician in NYC. She has been working in the medical intensive care unit and ER at two major NYC hospitals, taking care of the sickest COVID-19 positive patients in the area. She graduated from Brown Medical School and loves emergency medicine.
Dan Wu is a privacy lawyer and legal engineer. He specializes in the intersection of law and technology to advance inclusive cities. He has a J.D. and Ph.D. from Harvard. Dan is Alicia’s fiance and is passionate about protecting her health.
FAQs
Q: Aren't N95s the highest priority?
100%. Leaders are starting to respond to the demand pushed forward by efforts like #getmePPE #onemillionmasks and #amillionmasks.
Yet we need to do more, since COVID-19 can stay viable in the air for hours and on surfaces for days. According to "Chinese doctors say Europe is making the same mistakes first made in Wuhan," and the Harvard study, there's a dire need to raise the standard for PPE beyond masks. Let’s get ahead of the problem.
Q: What are other ways I can help outside of donating?
Reshare these efforts widely! Follow @frontlinesuits on instagram and twitter, share www.FrontlineSuits.com and tiny.cc/CNNfrontlinesuits
Q: Will coveralls increase the risk of infection between patients, since you can't change them on shift?
To prevent infection spread, we'd wear a disposable gown over the washable reusable coverall. Ultimately, because we can remove our coverall before leaving the hospital, we hope this reduces the spread of contaminants on subway seats, rideshare seats, and other surfaces that touch our clothing after work.
Q: How do we keep our coveralls clean?
We will only use coveralls that are machine washable, just like our scrubs.
Q: What’s your contact info? I’d love to give feedback!
[email redacted]
Given the overwhelmingly positive response, we are expanding to donate washable head-to-toe suits to more healthcare workers based on demand! All funds that exceed the supply of suits will go toward vetted COVID19 response efforts.
See www.FrontlineSuits.com and read our CNN op-ed here!
WHY WE ARE DONATING WASHABLE COVERALL SUITS
In a Harvard study of Wuhan’s public health measures, full suits —together with N95 masks, goggles, face shields, and gloves — helped reduce healthcare worker infections to zero.
In comparison, the standard US protective wear involves a mask, sheer gown, and gloves, which exposes the bare neck, the back of the scrubs, and other areas. (Click here to compare the standard gear of US vs China/Italy).
As individual healthcare workers, we may not be able to use medical-grade hazmat suits, but we can change the practice of what we wear under our PPE. We currently expose our scrubs and bare arms in the hospital, which can carry contaminants into our homes, onto subways or in rideshare cars. This campaign aims to decrease the amount of exposure of our scrubs and bare arms at work by wearing clothing that covers a greater surface area of the body. One such type of clothing is a coverall.
Instead of disposing of them daily, we can use washable head-to-toe suits for a more sustainable and cost-effective solution.
This fundraiser serves to 1) decrease the amount of exposure of our scrubs and bodies to hospital contaminants, and 2) advocate for a higher standard of protection for healthcare workers across the country.
MY STORY FROM THE FRONTLINES
Every day, I have come home from work extremely humbled by my colleagues: nurses, physicians, custodians, and technicians. I can’t fully describe the degree to which my coworkers have fought for patients, but I can tell you that it has involved a lot of blood, sweat, and tears -- literally.
I’m an emergency physician in NYC, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been working in both the emergency room and the intensive care unit -- areas that are packed with COVID+ patients. When a patient loses a pulse, any one of us will jump in to do CPR, another will place a breathing tube, and another will place an IV. All of these procedures expose multiple staff members in a high-risk manner, aerosolizing secretions in a crowded space and contaminating multiple areas of our bodies.
Every time I lead a resuscitation, I am thinking: how can we continue giving 100% effort, while also keeping the entire team safe? Are the masks and gowns enough?
Since we started this fundraised initiative, we were able to donate 1000+ washable coverall suits to NYC healthcare workers. The response has been tremendous, and the demand has skyrocketed. Healthcare workers have been tremendously grateful to finally have a way to cover their bodies and keep their scrubs clean when they leave to hospitals and go home. They are asking for more - so we are expanding our fundraiser and working with manufacturers to supply them!
Instead of exposing our scrubs, let's get covered with coverall suits. Wash, rinse, repeat, and continue to fight for our patients' lives.
GOALS
Our goal is to donate a washable suit to as many frontline healthcare workers routinely exposed to COVID-19. We hope that this will bolster systemic change in hospitals around the country to provide healthcare workers with full protective gear.
REQUEST A SUIT
If you are a frontline healthcare worker anywhere, request one washable suit in this request form . We cannot promise availability, but the more providers from a hospital request a suit, the greater the chance we can supply your providers.
WHO WE ARE
Alicia Lu is an emergency physician in NYC. She has been working in the medical intensive care unit and ER at two major NYC hospitals, taking care of the sickest COVID-19 positive patients in the area. She graduated from Brown Medical School and loves emergency medicine.
Dan Wu is a privacy lawyer and legal engineer. He specializes in the intersection of law and technology to advance inclusive cities. He has a J.D. and Ph.D. from Harvard. Dan is Alicia’s fiance and is passionate about protecting her health.
FAQs
Q: Aren't N95s the highest priority?
100%. Leaders are starting to respond to the demand pushed forward by efforts like #getmePPE #onemillionmasks and #amillionmasks.
Yet we need to do more, since COVID-19 can stay viable in the air for hours and on surfaces for days. According to "Chinese doctors say Europe is making the same mistakes first made in Wuhan," and the Harvard study, there's a dire need to raise the standard for PPE beyond masks. Let’s get ahead of the problem.
Q: What are other ways I can help outside of donating?
Reshare these efforts widely! Follow @frontlinesuits on instagram and twitter, share www.FrontlineSuits.com and tiny.cc/CNNfrontlinesuits
Q: Will coveralls increase the risk of infection between patients, since you can't change them on shift?
To prevent infection spread, we'd wear a disposable gown over the washable reusable coverall. Ultimately, because we can remove our coverall before leaving the hospital, we hope this reduces the spread of contaminants on subway seats, rideshare seats, and other surfaces that touch our clothing after work.
Q: How do we keep our coveralls clean?
We will only use coveralls that are machine washable, just like our scrubs.
Q: What’s your contact info? I’d love to give feedback!
[email redacted]
Organizer
Alicia Lu
Organizer
New York, NY
