Recent News

Media Contacts:
Lisa Cox
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Lisa.Cox@health.mo.gov

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Missouri agencies have been working jointly on innovative measures to increase its supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to PPE continues to be identified as a critical need, and expanding PPE reserves by opening public and private supply chains is one of the four essential pillars of the state’s Show Me Strong Recovery plan.

In an effort to expand the PPE reserves and simplify the PPE process, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is housing an integrated webpage dedicated as a one-stop shop for all information related to PPE. The newly created webpage, health.mo.gov/PPE, includes Missouri’s latest information and resources in three categories including 1) how to access PPE or make requests, 2) guidance for use, and 3) optimization for maintaining your PPE supply for the duration of the COVID-19 epidemic.  

“It’s vital that we keep our health care workers as protected as possible in the fight against COVID-19,” Governor Mike Parson said. “Manufacturers across the state have answered the call to help protect our health care workers, and we are committed to doing all we can to get this equipment into the hands of those that need it.”

All Missouri health care entities, first responders, and state agencies providing essential services who are in critical need of PPE are encouraged to partner and participate in the Missouri PPE Marketplace by registering their current PPE inventory and the quantities they would like to purchase as a buyer. Once registered, these groups can begin to search and connect with PPE suppliers. They can also extend the life of N95 masks by enrolling in the Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System, a process to decontaminate N95 filtering face piece respirators, allowing the masks to be utilized up to 20 times. For questions about the Battelle system and the enrollment process, call 614-753-2255.

For more information regarding COVID-19 or PPE, please contact the Department’s hotline at 877-435-8411 or visit health.mo.gov/coronavirus. 

###

About the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: The department seeks to be the leader in protecting health and keeping people safe. More information about DHSS can be found at http://health.mo.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter @HealthyLivingMo