When the coronavirus shutdowns caused her retail jobs to come to an abrupt end this month, designer Kelli Donovan got creative with a plan to make ends meet.
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The founder of Pure Pod, a label which creates women's clothing from ethically sourced material, is one of several Australian business owners who have turned their craft to creating essential goods.
Alongside her two employees in Canberra, Miss Donovan has started sewing scrubs for doctors and nurses in need.
Through a Facebook group, Adopt A Healthcare Worker Canberra, Miss Donovan has begun to fill orders from "adopters" of medical professionals in the ACT.
Part of a national initiative to support those on the front line against coronavirus, Adopt A Healthcare Worker Canberra has seen community members offering to bake, shop and babysit for ACT workers.
Since it was established in Canberra in mid-March, the group has grown to include more than 1100 members, with people posting what they could offer and professionals posting what they needed.
Miss Donovan said there had been a huge spike in demand for scrubs as medical professionals not usually required to wear them stocked up in anticipation for what was to come.
Additionally, nurses and doctors were in the market for fresh sets as precautionary measures in clinics and hospitals had been amped up, she said.
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After posting her intention to start sewing scrubs to the Facebook group on Wednesday, Miss Donovan had received approximately 15 orders and 20 other inquiries in just 12 hours.
Doctors and nurses had also placed their own specialised sewing orders. These included bags to store their scrubs in and face shields which could be buttoned to caps without elastic that dug into the scalp, she said.
Miss Donovan said some of the Facebook group members had paid-it-forward by buying scrubs for medical students who might otherwise go without. She encouraged others to contact her to do the same.
Having experienced stress and anxiety for a fortnight after losing her income, Miss Donovan said this felt like a way to help and get back on her feet.
"I know how to make clothes and I know how to source fabric," Miss Donovan said.
A spokesperson for ACT Health said the ongoing supply of PPE was an issue all jurisdictions were facing due to supply constraints.
Alongside Canberra Health Services, ACT Health is working with a number of existing manufacturers and supply partners to source additional Personal Protective Equipment to respond to COVID-19 and clinical needs across the territory, the spokesperson said.
"We are working closely with suppliers and the Commonwealth government to ensure we have enough PPE for our frontline workers as the COVID-19 situation unfolds," the spokesperson said.
"We currently have enough PPE in the ACT."
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
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Alex Crowe
Alex covers science and environment issues, with a focus on local Canberra stories. alex.crowe@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Alex covers science and environment issues, with a focus on local Canberra stories. alex.crowe@austcommunitymedia.com.au
