SECONDARY SCHOOLS across Ireland are donating their stock of Personal Protective Equipment to local nursing homes, hospitals and medical centres to help health workers on the frontlines keep themselves and their patients safe during the coronavirus crisis.
Secondary schools use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for use in practical classes such as chemistry, where students use face masks, gloves or goggles to protect their skin, but with schools closed nationwide for the foreseeable future as the coronavirus spreads, staff have made the decision to donate the gear to the people who need it most.
County Limerick secondary school Desmond College and Gaelcholáiste Uí Chonbá today announced that they had donated their full stock of PPE from their science labs to St Ita's Hospital, a community hospital for the elderly based across the road from the school.
A staff member, writing on the school's Twitter page, said the school has "donated all our PPE stock of masks and gloves from our science labs and school supplies to our friends and neighbours in St. Itas Hospital".
Our school @desmondcollege has donated all our PPE stock of masks and gloves from our science labs and school supplies to our friends and neighbours in St.Itas Hospital #HSE 👏👏@LimClareETB @LCETBSchools @HSELive
— Desmond College (@desmondcollege) March 27, 2020
In Rush, County Dublin, staff members in St Joseph's Secondary school collected their stock of PPE gear from their science labs and brought the items personally to the Beaumont and Mater hospitals.
A post on the school's Facebook page stated that "some of our Science teachers spent the morning gathering all of the PPE equipment we had in the school lab and brought it into Beaumont Hospital, with more going to the Mater.
"Well done Ms Kelly and Ms Teehan- every little helps in supporting those doing tremendous work on the frontline."
Our science teachers gathering PPE & sending to Beaumont. Every little helps- so grateful to all those at the frontline 👏👏@ceist1 @NAPD_IE @newschambers @rtenews @HSELive @HelenORahilly @chris_o_connell @AccessTCD @djbyrne80 @JudiOBoyle @_MsLeahBrophy_ @ciaranreade @AKinsella pic.twitter.com/WDdeuo5003
— St Joseph's Rush (@stjosephsrush) March 27, 2020
The kind gestures have been applauded by locals and alumni of both schools, with more schools across the country likely to be inspired to do the same.
