Woodbridge, NJ – Fusion Health announced that it will be donating 25,000 face shields to support healthcare professionals and other front-line correctional staff amid the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Fusion Health, a leader of Correctional Healthcare IT solutions has turned to Hatteras, a family-owned commercial printing, manufacturing, and fulfillment company to produce and distribute the face shields to correctional facilities throughout the United States. Both companies are based in New Jersey.
“We understood that there was a national shortage in PPE [Personal Protective Equipment],” stated Bryan Jakovcic, President of Fusion Health. “What caught us off guard however, was how dire of a situation it was within the jails and prisons. I personally know nurses and correctional officers that have become ill and died from COVID. I could not stand by and watch front-line medical and correctional staff wage war against the virus without the proper PPE.”
Jakovcic came across a LinkedIn posting from Bill Duerr, President of Hatteras and a fellow alumni of Christian Brothers Academy (Lincroft, NJ), who was sharing his story of how he innovated and evolved during the pandemic. Duerr pivoted his printing facility to manufacture face shields, temporary beds and partitions. “The pandemic has impacted everyone and it immediately changed our business. In this time of adversity we had to think quickly. We found a way to use our capabilities to serve a greater purpose and help supply products to those who need it most.” stated Duerr.
Inmates are among the sickest patient population in the country. Jails are particularly more vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19 because they admit and discharge inmates more frequently than a state prison. In turn, this increases the risk of infection for medical staff, correctional officers and inmates for COVID as well as other disease.