Intermountain has started to use masks from ProjectProtect, where thousands of sewing volunteers across the state manufactured PPE for frontline caregivers, including more than five million medical-grade masks.
ProjectProtect masks are safe and have been made by our generous community volunteers at Intermountain’s direction. Caregivers will notice the masks look different than the typical procedure masks, and they’re made of a different material. The masks were created with the help of industrial hygiene to ensure that volunteers were creating a safe mask. While they’re a single ply of material, they’ll provide safe and needed protection for visitors, patients, and caregivers working in non-patient facing roles. Any caregiver working in a visitor- or patient-facing location should continue to wear a regular procedure mask.
The completion of the ProjectProtect masks marked a grassroots medical milestone, where more than 50,000 Utahns helped create medical-grade masks for frontline caregivers treating COVID-19 patients. The project is the largest Utah-based volunteer effort since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
- 50,000 volunteers from Utah and Idaho participated in the initiative
- 5 million masks were sewn
- 300,000 masks were donated to the state of Utah for public use
- 200,000 masks were donated to Latter-day Saint Charities for use for vulnerable populations
All facility entrance and greeter locations should be stocked with both ProjectProtect procedure masks and cloth face coverings (if needed). If your location is not currently stocked with project protect masks, please contact your local supply chain department to receive these masks.