Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and Allina Health Team Up to Address Shortage of Personal Protective Equipment for Health Care Workers

Both organizations are calling for skilled volunteers to create CDC-approved, reusable masks

What: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) announced a new community-based initiative with Allina Health (Allina) to enable skilled volunteers to assist with the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers.

This initiative asks skilled volunteers throughout the state to sew CDC-approved reusable face masks that health workers can use as they treat patients. Details are available at blog.bluecrossmn.com/covid19masks.

Who: Blue Cross and Allina, in connection with Sew Good Goods and Treadle Yard Goods, are encouraging all health systems, fabric manufacturers and distributors, and skilled volunteers statewide to join us in this effort to support our health care workers at this time of immediate need.

Spokespersons available for comment:

  • Susan Schuster, principal community relations consultant, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
  • Helen Strike, president of Regina Hospital and River Falls Area Hospital, Allina Health
  • Judy Walker, co-founder at Sew Good Goods and former vice president of risk management at Blue Cross

Media contacts:

Where: Twin Cities metropolitan area and expanding to greater Minnesota. Details on drop-off sites will be updated in real time at blog.bluecrossmn.com/covid19masks

When: Volunteers are asked to join this effort beginning Sun., March 22, 2020.

Why: The shortage of masks and other PPE for health care workers is a serious concern to the health of our community. Many Minnesotans are looking for ways to help and this is one opportunity to do so in a meaningful way.

Call-to-action: Visit blog.bluecrossmn.com/covid19masks for additional information and instructions on how to get involved.

Blue Cross remains vigilant and focused in our efforts to ensure we are doing all we can to ensure the health and safety of our community. Timely COVID-19 information and updates can be found at bluecrossmn.com/coronavirus.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

For more than 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com) has supported the health, wellbeing and peace of mind of our members by striving to ensure equitable access to high quality care at an affordable price. We are on a mission to inspire change, transform care and improve health for the people and communities we serve by reinventing both ourselves and the broader system. Our more than 2.5 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. As a proud nonprofit organization, we believe working to advance wellness for all Minnesotans is the greatest investment we can make. Our goal is nothing less than for everyone to be able to achieve their full health potential, regardless of race or other socially defined circumstances. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, which serves more than 107 million members across the U.S.