As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) is inviting local residents who know how to sew or crochet to consider making and donating any (or all) of the four items currently prioritized on the list below:

1. Surgical hats – cotton head covers to be worn by front-line healthcare workers beneath their hospital-issued Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to cover their hair/head and keep it protected

2. Scrub bags – cotton bags, much like a pillowcase, to be used by healthcare workers to transport their soiled scrubs home and safely into their washing machine—bag and all—without contact

3. Mask buddies – small crochet bands with buttons to hold surgical masks from rubbing against the ears

4. Washable, reusable face masks – now in small-batch production with the support of a community partner, NHH is looking to local sewers in Northumberland to help ramp up this effort.  Made using a prototype design developed in the United States at the University of Florida and sewn with special hospital-issued material, these masks will not be worn by healthcare workers—who continue to use certified Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)—but, rather, by local patients, including:

   • patients who receive outpatient care (Dialysis, Chemotherapy, Emergency or other diagnostic imaging procedures) that might put them in close proximity to healthcare workers;

   • discharged patients (at both Northumberland Hills Hospital and Campbellford Memorial Hospital), to wear home as they depart the hospital and return to the community;

   • approved hospital visitors; and

   • (as need arises) residents in retirement home, long-term care and other communal living settings in the broader community, to help prevent the spread of illness in Northumberland.

“By helping to produce any of these items you will help us further preserve precious medical PPE for our healthcare providers and support staff,” said Linda Davis, President and CEO.  

Find free online instructions for how to make items 1 – 3 at the weblinks below:

Surgical hat instructions

Scrub bag instructions

Mask buddy instructions

Please use clean materials to make your items and wash them prior to delivery.

Experienced sewers interested in sewing item 4 (washable, reusable face masks using hospital-issued fabric) are asked to please email or call Jennifer Gillard (jgillard@nhh.ca or 905-377-7757) who will make arrangements to provide you with the necessary specifications and contacts. Please note: masks made from regular cotton are not being accepted by NHH at this time.

Donations may be dropped off seven (7) days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the dedicated receptacle located in the covered entryway at NHH’s main front entrance at 1000 DePalma Drive, Cobourg. Kindly ensure all items are placed securely in a plastic bag with your contact information (name, address, email address and phone number). Please do not drop off items at the Emergency Department – we are not able to accept them at this entrance as it is prioritized for Emergency visitors only. 

Finally, please share your creations on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, tagging NHH and the NHH Foundation, and using hashtags #COVID19 #InThisTogether.

NHH remains extremely grateful for all the many acts of kindness that continue to be shown to the team each and every day. Those who are not crafty but still wish to contribute to NHH’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to see the Frequently Asked Questions area of our COVID-19 webpages for more details on other ways to help:https://nhh.ca/covid-19