Women Launch GoFundMe, Ship Masks From Mexico: GA Coronavirus

ATLANTA, GA — The rapid spread of the new coronavirus has left many hospitals scrambling to stay stocked with essential medical supplies, equipment and face masks. Two Georgia women launched a GoFundMe page to produce and ship face masks to hospitals in Atlanta, New York City, Seattle, California and Albany, Georgia.

According to the Medical Mask Emergency Fund GoFundMe page, the masks are being made and shipped from a factory in Mexico. Co-organizer Kathleen Plate has a brother who lives there and he’s going to the factory daily to help produce the masks.

“We saw the need in NYC and had a way to make help happen,” wrote Patty LaRocco. She said that they wanted to “get them into the hands of those in need here in the US.”

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Originally from New York City, LaRocco said she knows where the masks need to go. They are being picked up daily from the factory and walked to a local FedEx to “be sent to the most critical locations.”

They’ve raised $86,497 of the $95,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon.

“Everyone is in dire need, and the fastest way to get masks to them is to donate rather than go through official procurement channels. We need donations to help buy the masks so we can get them to the front lines fast.”

The organizers didn't immediately respond to questions.

As Georgia passes 500 deaths due to the coronavirus, the Georgia Department of Public Health is working on making more information available to the public, including the amount of cases per county population.

As of Tuesday at noon, there have been 501 deaths due to coronavirus in Georgia. There have been 14,223 cases confirmed and 2,769 hospitalized, or 19.47 percent. Deaths make up 3.52 percent of Georgia cases. From the numbers released at noon on Monday, this is an increase of 908 cases, 180 hospitalizations and 37 deaths.

Fulton County has recorded the most cases thus far, with 1,774 cases and 57 deaths. Dougherty County in southwest Georgia, where Albany is the site of the state's worst hotspot, is second with 1,286 cases but has recorded the most deaths with 78, more than any other Georgia county.

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