Canada Goose reports they will begin making scrubs and patient gowns, which are in short supply across the country, and will begin distributing them to hospitals next week.

To help address the urgent need facing healthcare workers and patients across the country, Canada Goose has committed to producing medical gear at two of its manufacturing facilities, starting in Toronto and Winnipeg, with the opportunity to extend production across additional facilities as needed. With production set to begin early next week, approximately 50 employees per facility will work to manufacture the gear and have an initial goal of producing 10,000 units.

“Across Canada, there are people risking their lives every day on the frontlines of COVID-19 in healthcare facilities, and they need help. Now is the time to put our manufacturing resources and capabilities to work for the greater good,” said Dani Reiss, President & CEO, Canada Goose. “Our employees are ready, willing and able to help, and that’s what we’re doing. It’s the Canadian thing to do.”

The company is working closely with federal, provincial and local health authorities and will follow the recommended protocols to ensure a safe work environment for employees, including implementing social distancing protocols, limiting the number of employees located within specific spaces, and increasing sanitation measures within facilities to ensure the health and safety of team members.

Canada Goose Response Program COVID-19 Initiatives to date:

• Production of Personal Protective Equipment: Beginning week of March 30^th, Canada Goose will manufacture scrubs for healthcare workers as well as patient gowns. The gear will be donated locally at no cost, with the goal of providing as much equipment as possible to those in need.
  
  
• Canada Goose Employee Support Fund: On March 17^th the Canada Goose Employee Support fund was established for employees who are impacted by store and manufacturing closures but are not eligible for government assistance. In a letter to Canada Goose employees, Dani Reiss announced that he will forego his salary for at least the next three months, which will be used for the Employee Support Fund. 
  
  
• Wuhan Charity Donation: On February 6^th Canada Goose announced a RMB1 million donation to the Wuhan Charity Federation to help fight the COVID-19 outbreak. The Wuhan Charity Federation is a non-profit organization designated by the Wuhan City Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters to receive donations for relief efforts.

Other device and supply news can be found here.

KN95 disposable masks are being sold at a price of $59.99 for a package containing 10 masks or $149.99 for a package containing 30 masks. KN95-rated masks are effective at filtering out at least 95% of airborne particles, including microorganisms, dust, pollen and air pollution.

“In light of the shortage of protective masks, we have tapped into our global health supplier network to procure and make available a high-quality, KN95-rated product at the most reasonable price possible,” said Justin Hall, NovaBay CEO. “We received our first shipment of KN95 masks last week, which sold out online very quickly and expect a second large inventory of masks to be available for shipment today. To meet the immediate need, we had the masks flown in on a rush basis. We have direct access to a large supplier of KN95 masks and encourage organizations ordering quantities of 50,000 or more to contact us directly at 1-800-890-0329 for special pricing.

“We plan to continue providing KN95 masks on Avenova.com for as long as the demand remains,” Mr. Hall added. “In these most unusual of circumstances, it’s gratifying for the NovaBay team to carry out our commitment to marshal all of our talents and resources to benefit the health and wellbeing of people everywhere. We will continue to be here to help accomplish this objective during and after this crisis is over.”

The NK95 disposable masks are constructed with a three-layer filtration system of nonwoven soft and breathable fiber for effective protection. The masks feature extra soft and comfortable elastic ear loops that will not apply pressure to the ears during use and have an adjustable nose bridge strip. The masks come in a single size that fits most faces. They are non-toxic, odorless, non-irritating, contain no dyes and are hypoallergenic and gentle on the skin. The disposable masks should be replaced daily for best hygiene and are ideal for one-time use in a non-medical setting.

The KN95 air filter masks are manufactured by Earntz Nonwoven Co., Ltd. and are CE certified for FFP2 protective mask (EN 149-2001) and meet KN95-level requirements (GB 2626-2006).

IRRAS has announced a long-term collaboration with Dr. Nika Niemela, Professor and Chairman of Neurosurgery, and Dr. Behnam Rezai Jahromi from the University of Helsinki, one of the world’s leading neurosurgical institutions, to utilize the company’s IRRAflow system in a variety of neurocritical applications.

IRRAS notes The initial area of focus will be in the treatment of patients suffering from intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

IRRAflow is the world’s first “irrigating intracranial drain,” and its unique mechanism of action addresses the complications associated with the current methods of managing intracranial fluid by using a dual-lumen catheter that combines automated irrigation, controlled drainage, and continuous ICP monitoring, all into one system. IRRAflow was introduced into the U.S. market in 2019 following the receipt of 510(k) clearance by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is currently being reintroduced into the European Union (EU) after the recertification of the system’s CE Mark in December 2019.

“It is my belief that the system’s combination of automated irrigation and controlled drainage should contribute to better long-term outcomes for these critically ill patients, and I am excited to explore that hypothesis in greater detail,” said Dr. Mika Niemelä. “My early experience with the IRRAflow system has shown impressive acute results in draining collected toxic material out of the ventricles without catheter blockages,” said Dr. Rezai Jahromi.

Traditional treatment options for IVH patients generally utilize an External Ventricular Drainage (EVD) system, which is a passive approach that relies solely on gravity to facilitate drainage. Although an EVD is currently the most common treatment option for intracranial bleeding or elevated ICP, the technology is associated with several well-known complications such as catheter blockage, infections, and incomplete drainage. All of these complications can negatively impact patient outcome, which can subsequently increase the length of time needed in the hospital and the overall cost of care.

HUH Neurosurgery is world-famous for its expertise in all subsections of neurosurgery. It is considered the leading center in Europe in the microneurosurgical treatment of cerebral blood vessel diseases and complex brain tumors and is also ranked among the very best units in the world. Due to this reputation as one of the world’s leading centers in cerebrovascular problems, some of the most complex cases in the field are referred to Helsinki from other parts of the world. Each year, more than 3,200 patients undergo neurosurgical treatment at Helsinki, and nearly 200 neurosurgeons from all around the world visit the facility to learn the latest techniques in neurosurgery.

“This collaboration with Dr. Rezai Jahromi and the University of Helsinki represents an important component of our launch strategy for IRRAflow,” said Will Martin, Chief Commercial Officer of IRRAS. “There is a compelling need for transformative technologies, such as IRRAflow, to treat patients with intracranial bleeding, and we believe that this collaboration will advance the treatment of IVH and also accelerate the product’s awareness to a wider group of neurocritical care specialists.”