BARRIE -- Georgian College is stepping up to help front-line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The college joins other community businesses that are manufacturing and donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to health care professionals who are dealing with a serious shortage of masks, gloves and other supplies.

"We've mobilized a phenomenal team effort across the college to collect the PPE supplies we are not currently using, including gloves, masks and gowns," says Fay Lim-Lambie, Dean, Health, Wellness and Sciences. "As a result, more than 105,000 individual PPEs will benefit health partners in need – including hospitals and long-term care facilities."

The college's Research and Innovation team started creating face shields for the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) health care workers.

The college says more than 600 face shields were produced this week, with more to come.

"Going forward, we intend to help companies co-ordinate with RVH as new needs arise," says Mira Ray, Director, Research and Innovation at Georgian. "We can also be on call to produce short-run items that the hospital or any medical clinic, health-care provider, or essential service the health-care sector needs."

Georgian College is looking for donations of raw materials that could be used to continue making the face shields.

To donate, send an email to the research and innovation team.