OMAHA, Nebraska - The Metropolitan Community College Prototype Design Lab is now producing masks for Nebraska Medicine amid a supply shortage in the fight against COVID-19 coronavirus.
It began with a call for assistance from Nebraska Medicine. Once Ken Heinze, lab coordinator, was forwarded the message, he connected with Nebraska Medicine, letting them know the College’s lab could answer the call for more medical supplies.
“I’d rather be here in the lab making these masks than sitting at home waiting this thing out,” said Heinze.
Volunteers from the lab and other areas of the College are lending a helping hand, assembling the masks from supplies Heinze has collected from Omaha area stores. Heinze has collected enough material to assemble 1,000 face shield masks, which can be used by health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Heinze is also keeping the 10 people to a room rule in mind.