Jefferson University Medical Students Launch Organization To Help Bring Personal Protective Equipment To Health Care Workers

Greg Argos reports.

SURPASSED 12,000.THEY'RE STILL URGING ALL PEOPLETO TAKE SOCIAL DISTANCINGGUIDELINES SERIOUSLY.AMID THE DEVASTATION OF THISPANDEMIC, WE CONTINUE TO HEARINSPIRING STORIES OF COMMUNITYMEMBERS HELPING OTHERS.LOCAL MEDICAL STUDENTS AREHONING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND CRAFTTO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL WORKERS.Reporter: FOR A GROUP OFMEDICAL STUDENTS.WE WERE ON OUR ROTATIONS WHENTHE ENTIRE COVID-19 SITUATIONHAPPENED.WE KNEW THAT WE WEREN'T GOINGTO BE HAVING ANY PATIENT CONTACTFOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.Reporter: THE COVID-19PANDEMIC TAPPED THE BRAKES ONTHEIR MEDICAL STUDIES.WE'RE AT HOME AND FEELING ALITTLE BIT USELESS.MANY OF US WANT TO HELP ASMUCH AS WE CAN.Reporter: SO THEY BOTH ATJEFFERSON UNIVERSITIED CHANNELSTHEIR ENERGY AND PASSION TO HELPOTHERS AND CREATED THE PPE TOPHL NETWORK.WHICH DONATES PERSONALPROTECTION EQUIPMENT TOHEALTHCARE WORKERS THROUGHOUTOUR REGION.WE HAD OUR CALLS WORK THROUGHWHAT THE BUSINESS IS AND SECUREANY VERBAL COMMITMENTS FORMASKS, GLOVES, GOWNS AND WECONNECT THE DONOR TO A COURIERWHO PICKS IT UP AND BRINGS IT TOOUR CENTRALIZED INVENTORY.Reporter: THE GRASSROOTSORGANIZATION STARTED WITH JUSTFOUR VOLUNTEERS JUST THREE WEEKSAGO, NOW IT'S UP TO NEARLY 200.AND THOSE HELPING OUT ARE NOTJUST IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD.PEOPLE AT HOME WANT TO MAKESOME PHONE CALLS AND I THINK WEHAVE A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER.824 RESPIRATORS, 23,000GLOVES.250 SCRUBS, 460 PAIRS OFGOGGLES.DONATIONS SMALL BUT EVERYLITTLE BIT MATTERS.DONATED AND DELIVERED.THAT WAS ALL LAST WEEK AND IKNOW FOR A FACT WE'VE GOTTENSOME DONATIONS THIS WEEK.Reporter: IT'S A MISSION THATWILL CONTINUE ON FOR AS LONG ASTHIS PANDEMIC PERSISTS.A SENSE OF URGENCY BECAUSE ALOT OF PEOPLE ON THE FRONT LINE,A LOT ARE MY FRIENDS.IT'S NICE TO SEE WE ARECAPABLE OF MAKING CHANGES ANDMAKING AN IMPACT.Reporter: WORD HAS SPREAD SOQUICKLY HEALTHCARE FACILITIESAND WORKERS ARE REACHING OUTDIRECTLY TO PPE FOR PHL.WE POSTED A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE,CBSPHILLY.COM ON HOW YOU CAN DOJUST THAT.IF YOU WORK FOR A FACILITY AND