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From China with love: High school ships 250 masks to Okanagan health-care workers

Doctors and nurses across the province are struggling with the shortage of suitable PPE
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Students and staff at Sino-Canada High School in Luxu, Jiangsu, China recently shipped 250 N95 masks to the health care workers in the Okanagan after hearing how the province is struggling with a lack of PPE. (contributed)

A Chinese high school has stepped up to help Okanagan health-care workers in the fight against COVID-19.

Sino-Canada High School in Luxu, Jiangsu, China, recently shipped 250 N95 masks to the South Okanagan Similkameen (SOS) Division of Family Practice. Doctors and nurses across the province are struggling with the shortage of suitable PPE.

The shipment arrived today (May 6) and local practioner Dr. Tim Phillips said it couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Having people on the other side of the world being able to see a need here in the Okanagan and reach out to try to help out is incredible and fabulous,” Phillips said. “It goes to show what we can do around the world to try and help each other with this.”

READ MORE: COVID-19: South Okanagan physician community seeking PPE donations

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The donation was coordinated by the principal of Sino-Canada High School, Graham Setters, who contacted the SOS Division of Family Practice after they sent out public requests for PPE.

Setters’ father lives in the Okanagan and was able to help facilitate the shipment.

After reaching out to the SOS Division of Family Practice, Setters arranged to have his students ship the masks to his father who then delivered them to the SOS Division of Family Practice.

The SOS Division is currently operating at McLaren Arena in Penticton, using masks and other PPE that have mostly been procured through community donations.

“The donation from the Sino-Canada students is invaluable in helping community health care professionals continue to have the best safety control measures in place for citizens and workers,” said Heather Allen of the SOS Division of Family Practice in an email.

Dr. Phillips echoed Allen’s sentiments.

“This is going to go a long way towards helping our providers in the community provide services to our patients,” Phillips said. “From our standpoint it’s a big shout-out for the generosity and for the out-pour from community to community to help each other out.

“A big thank you to both our community for everything that they’ve done and certainly for the students and the staff at the school there to reach out and help out the providers in the Okanagan here.”

Sino-Canada High School sent this poster along with a shipment of 250 N95 masks to health care workers in the Okanagan. (contributed)

READ MORE: Canadian doctors say they see little progress on improving PPE supply: survey

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Jesse Day

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