DeKalb County Sews Kindness with Masks of Love

March 25, 2020
By: Bill Conger

Health care workers will be reaping from what community volunteers sew. Several local folks have banned together in a group known as “Masks of Love” to help with the shortage of personal protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Gianna Owens, a local Nurse practitioner, has been sounding the alarm of the pandemic for a few months now,” explained April Martin, PhD, Family and Consumer Science Agent with UT/TSU Extension. “She sent out a plea over social media one day last week. Around the same time, I saw where a ministry in Indiana was making fabric face masks for healthcare workers. I had an “ah-ha” moment.”
Martin, who occasionally teaches sewing classes to 4-Hers, thought it would make sense for the Family and Education clubs (FCE) to use their skills with a needle and thread to make a difference.

“It occurred to me that I might be able to help with the shortage of personal protective equipment that our nurses, doctors, and other healthcare employees are facing,” she told WJLE. “In addition, so many people are at home, bored and looking for something to do. This has been a way for a lot of us to pitch in, do something fun, and protect the healthcare workers we love and care for so much. They are on the front line of this pandemic war, and we want to do whatever we can to help them during this unprecedented crisis.”

In just four days, 150 people including non-club members have joined the effort.

Two volunteers—Joanie Williams and Amanda Webb Blair—have partnered together with the mask making. Blair cuts material, and Williams sews.

“As a nurse, I know how important it is to protect our health care providers,” Williams says. “We all need to step up and do what we can during this crisis.”

“I was motivated because my daughter is a brand new nurse, and I worry about her safety because in this scary time, I find it easier to think we can win this battle when we have all hands on deck,” explains Blair.

“That can be delivering food to the elderly, making masks for our healthcare workers and our mail carriers, and by just staying put and quarantining at home. It’s going to take everyone working together to defeat this virus.

Now UT Extension agencies across the state are getting involved with their FCE clubs and other volunteers.

“I realized when I got this project going that I would need a partner in the medical field to help get the masks dispersed to all the workers,” says Martin. “Shan [Williams] Stout, St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital, answered my call for help. This would be very difficult without Shan’s help”

“Our hospital was glad to help support the efforts of the FCE Club by connecting our available community volunteers, and preparing and packaging these masks for distribution,” Stout said. “These handmade masks are supported by the CDC as a resource to help extend the life of N-95 masks if supplies diminish, or limited quantities are available. The masks are placed over the N-95. The volunteers are using double layer fabrics with interior filters or interfacing. These masks are not intended as a replacement for the N-95, but the group is receiving patterns and instructions from hospital systems that have already implemented the use of these handmade masks.”

“All donated masks will be distributed on behalf of the FCE Club to clinics, home health services, physician practices, EMS, police departments, and any other public servants as requested,” adds Stout. Remaining masks will be “on hold” for use by healthcare personnel if the need arises to ration N-95 masks.”

“We currently have an adequate supply of N-95 masks at our regional hospitals,” said Chana Roller, Area Director of Implementation for The Resource Group | Saint Thomas Health, “but we are actively calling local businesses, construction companies, and any other sources to request any donations of N-95 masks, gloves, goggles, or Tyvek painters coveralls to help in our preparedness efforts. If you would like to donate these (new) items, please drop them off at the delivery dock behind Saint Thomas DeKalb, or call or text (931) 273-6901 to make other arrangements.”

To find out more details, you can join the Facebook group, “Masks of Love,” or contact April Martin at 615-542-6403 or amartin3@utk.edu.

March 24, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Kathy Hendrixson, Director of the DeKalb County Public Library System has released the following notice concerning Justin Potter & Alexandria Libraries

“Please know that closing the libraries was not an easy decision, but one that was made to ensure the wellbeing of the community and the library staff during this pandemic.”

“We want to continue to serve the community as long as possible with the following services:

“Wi-Fi will be available outside the buildings as usual.”

“The Tennessee READS Digital Downloads is available at all times for audiobooks, ebooks and other online materials by going to the link on our website at dekalblibraries.net. You need an active library card for use. There are special options on the READS site for those they do not have library cards. The Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL) is also available.”

“You can renew and reserve materials by logging into your account on our website or calling the library at 615-597-4359 Monday through Friday from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm. If you reserve an item we will call you and assign a time for curb side pickup during our revised hours at Justin Potter Library. All items can be returned in our outside book drops. Fines will be waived during the time the libraries are closed for this situation. Please check us out on Facebook for more information.”

“Thank you for your understanding during this health crisis in our country. We can get through this difficult time if we all work together, stay calm, keep informed and be respectful of each other,” said Hendrixson

March 24, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Don’t be alarmed if you see the Tennessee National Guard at the DeKalb County Health Department this week.

The reason for the visit is to assist the local health department staff in expediting services including testing due to COVID-19.

“The DeKalb Health Department has put in a request along with several other rural county health departments to get some assistance from the state and the Tennessee National Guard. They are looking at sending a couple of medics to each of the rural health departments needing assistance so they can increase their testing times. They are working out the logistics of that right now so hopefully we will have some additional personnel to help increase testing times,” said DeKalb Emergency Management Agency Director Charlie Parker.

However Parker stressed that the request for extra help came before it was known that DeKalb County has a confirmed case of the Coronavirus.

“This request was made last week trying to ramp up more personnel. The Tennessee National Guard has medical personnel and they are trying to distribute them around to several of the local counties,” Parker continued.

Keep on mind that not everybody who wants a test will get one.

“There is a screening process. They first recommend that you first go to your primary physician and you will undergo a screening to determine if you meet the criteria. They do swabs and then send them off to a state or private lab for testing but they are not going to test everyone who comes through the door,” added Parker.

Meanwhile the Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office has created an information line for local residents and healthcare providers to call with questions or concerns related to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus.

The information line is 931-646-7586 and is designed to provide callers with trusted information related to COVID-19. Residents with medical questions will be referred to their health care provider.

The information line will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

The Tennessee Department of Health has additional information available at http://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html. The CDC has updated information and guidance available online at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/index.html.

Symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are a cough, a high temperature and shortness of breath.

Tennesseans are encouraged to take routine precautions used in guarding against respiratory viruses:

*Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

*Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

*Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

*Stay home if you are sick.

*Stay away from people who are sick.

*Flu shots are available for free at your local health department.

Visit the Tennessee Department of Health online at  http://www.tn.gov/health