Nurses Union Sets up a Collection Center for N95 Masks

 Nurses are calling on Minnesotans to help with the drastic shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Twin Cities hospitals.

The Minnesota Nurses Association is accepting donations of N95 masks, which will be distributed to the State Emergency Operations Center to distribute to nurses who are running out at their respective hospitals.

MNA will accept new masks at its offices at 345 Randolph Avenue, Suite #200 in St. Paul. The office is closed, but a limited number of staff will be present to accept donations from noon to 2pm. When coming remain in your car, staff will accept masks

“We’ve received numerous emails and calls from well-wishing patients and their families,” said MNA President Mary C. Turner. “They’re asking if they can donate to the nurses who are on the frontlines and caring for patients every day.”

“Every mask collected means a nurse will be less afraid to go home to their families at night,” Turner said. “Re-using masks is potentially dangerous for both nurses and patients. And if we can’t keep nurses safe, we won’t have nurses to care for patients.”

Earlier this week nurses spoke about the challenging conditions they are facing.

Filiberto Nolasco Gomez is a former union organizer and former editor of Minneapolis based Workday Minnesota, the first online labor news publication in the state. Filiberto focused on longform and investigative journalism. He has covered topics including prison labor, labor trafficking, and union fights in the Twin Cities.