HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — UPDATE: Some local companies have been able to donate medical and protective supplies to Huntsville Hospital.
Donations for Huntsville Hospital
Huntsville Hospital is making sure they have enough beds open and supplies available if there is an influx of coronavirus patients.
As of Monday afternoon, only two people with COVID-19 are hospitalized in the Huntsville Hospital system. One is in Huntsville, and one is in Madison. Over the last couple of weeks, they have opened about 350 beds.
They say most people who test positive for the coronavirus are sent home to be self quarantined.
Huntsville Hospital CEO, David Spillers, said, "When these patients are in house, they require an enormous amount of supply of personal protective equipment. That's when we start worrying about whether we have enough or not."
Hospital officials say they have enough personal protection equipment but are still working on getting more.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said, "Challenges right now is making sure we have adequate supplies if we have a spike. We're hoping not to have that spike."
If there is an influx of patients, Mayor Battle is confident we'll be ready.
"We are not going to depend on Washington, D.C. We're going to take care of ourselves here in Madison County and in the city of Huntsville," said Battle.
Huntsville Hospital officials say they have gotten in more respirators and hope to get in more personal protection equipment this week.
"It's not that we aren't providing supplies and equipment to our employees now. We're doing that. This is in the event it runs short," said Spillers.
If you want to help add to the hospital's stockpile of medical supplies, the Huntsville Hospital Foundation is taking up donations.
Watch the news conference here.
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