Local company working to prevent face mask shortage

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the U.S. faced a shortage of personal protective equipment, such as face masks.

A new business is stepping up to help make sure anyone who needs a mask can get one.

“We can actually help, we can make a difference with this crisis,” says Wisconsin Medical Supplies Owner Andrew Holland.

Back in march, Holland saw a dire need for masks in the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and in may, Wisconsin Medical Supplies, opened up to help make sure the need for masks could be filled.

“Our goal in starting the company was to make sure anyone that wanted to get personal protective equipment, could at an affordable price,” Holland says.

And over the last few months, Wisconsin Medical Supplies has ramped up production of surgical masks.

“Right now we’re doing about 250,000 masks per week, over the next few weeks we’re looking to ramp that up to 500,000 masks per week,” Holland says.

He says the best part is that they are made right here in Eau Claire.

“We as a nation need to be having a conversation about where we are getting our stuff from,” he says. “We ran into this crisis because we didn’t produce this stuff in the United States.”

Something Holland says will be very important moving forward.

“If this ever happens again, if we don’t start rethinking what we’re willing to pay for and how and where we are willing to manufacture things, we’re going to find ourselves in the exact same scenario,” he says.

Wisconsin Medical Supplies is also partnering with local businesses like One Source Imaging to make sure that those who need a mask in the community can get a mask.

“I think it is wonderful that we have a business that is making these locally, I just love supporting local business as much as possible,” says One Source Imaging Owner Chris Solberg.

The masks are about 65 cents each with each box of 50 costing between $28 and $34.

You can buy them at One Source Imaging on Barstow Street in Eau Claire and also online.

For more information about buying them online, click here.

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