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SALT LAKE CITY — As the Marshall Islands experienced its first COVID-19 outbreak, the Utah Marshallese Association is rallying to send supplies across the Pacific Ocean.
"It's pretty scary and nerve-wracking. Sometimes you can't go to sleep knowing what's happening on the island," said Cassidy Matthew, the association's president, whose mom and sister living on the island recently tested positive. "Our system is not as good as the system here in Utah."
The Marshall Islands — a remote island nation in the Pacific with a population of 60,000 — had remained virtually free of the novel coronavirus until recently. On Friday, President David Kabua declared a health disaster as the country reports over 4,000 cases in just over a week. According to Matthew, that's about the same number of Marshallese currently living in Utah.
"It's moving rapidly. It just barely hit the island, but it's moving like crazy," Matthew said. "Recently, I just found out from one of the leaders that they've run out of medicines for people that are looking for Tylenol, ibuprofen or painkillers."
The country's secretary of health and human services, Jack Niedenthal, has been posting updates on Facebook, including daily case updates, where to send donations, and photos of shipments of PaxLovid — an oral antiviral used to help fight the coronavirus — arriving from American Samoa and the U.S. government.
The Utah Marshallese Association will send the donations it gathers directly to the country's Ministry of Health and Human Services, which will then distribute the items.
"I want to thank, in advance, those people that are planning on helping," Matthew said. "I know it's a short notice that we put it out there, but our people need it."
The association is asking for the following items. Donations will be accepted all day on Aug. 26 and 27 at 2398 S. 1360 West in West Valley. Individuals with additional questions can contact Matthew, at 385-226-4560 or kehlail02@gmail.com.
- Masks
- Hand sanitizer
- Disinfectant spray
- Adult and children's Tylenol
- Gloves
- Ginger powder and ginger tea
- Lysol wipes
- Vicks
- Covid self-testing kits
- Vitamin supplements
- Thermometers
- Tents
- Hand soap
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