Pima County Health Dept. stockpiled PPE, safety equipment to avoid shortage

After a surge of COVID-19 cases across the state during the summer, officials with the Pima County Health Department say they're prepared for another rise in cases.

SSINCE THE START OF THEPANDEMIC, THE PIMA COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS BEENHARD AT WORK GETTINGNECESSITIES TO THOSE ON THEFRONTLINES NAT 1:06-1:10 - "WEHAVE ALREADY DISTRIBUTED OVERSIX MILLION PIECES OF PPE."WHEN CASES BEGAN CLIMBINGACROSS THE STATE MONTHS AGOA SHORTAGE OF P-P-E IMPACTEDLOCAL HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCAREFACILITIES BUT OFFICIALS SAYTHEY PUT THE WORK IN TO AVOIDA SIMILAR SITUATION FROMHAPPENING AGAIN NAT 4:49-4:53- "WE PUT OURSELVES IN A GOODPOSITION IN THE COUNTY TOAVOID THAT." LOUIE VALENZUELA- THE PIMA COUNTY HEALTHDEPARTMENT'S EMERGENCYDIVISION MANAGER SAYS THEDEPARTMENT (NOW HAS A LARGESTOCKPILE OF SUPPLIES3:11-3:14 - "THERE IS A TON OFSTUFF IN OUR STOCKPILE THAT WEDISTRIBUTE." THAT STOCKPILEINCLUDES MASKS, GOWNS, GLOVES,HAND SANITIZER AND SANITIZINGEQUIPMENT IT ALSO INCLUDESITEMS STRICTLY MEANT FORHOSPITALS 3:19-3:30 - "WE DOHAVE SOME HIGHER LEVELHEALTHCARE EQUIPMENT THAT WEDISTRIBUTE.

IF OUR HOSPITALSNEED VENTILATORS THAT'SSOMETHING WE LOOKED INTOSTOCKPILING AND WE WILLLPROVIDE." NAT 3:59-4:07 - "WEDO STOCKPILE TEST KITS AS WELLFOR HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONSAND OTHER CONGREGATE SETTINGSTHAT NEED TEST KITS."VALENZUELA SAYS THE COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENT CHOSE TOSTOCKPILE THESE ITEMS BECAUSEOF THE LARGE NUM,BER OFINSTITUTIONS THAT RELY ON THEMFOR THE ITEMS 1:49-2:02 -"HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS ALLTHE WAY FROM HOSPICE AND HOMEHEALTH TO OUR LARGERHOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND PRIVATECHARTER AND SCHOOL DISTRICTSAND ALSO THE BUSINESSCOMMUNITY." VERONICA ACOSTA -KGUN NINE ON YOUR SIDEGOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY STRESSEDTHE IMPORTANCE OF WEARING A