There is a national shortage of commercially-produced PPE including gowns. Public and private officials are working to address national and global supply challenges. Due to the current limitations on supplies of disposable and cloth gowns, there may come a time during this response when commercially manufactured gowns are no longer readily available. Iowans who would like to support healthcare providers can use this guidance document to construct homemade washable cloth gowns that can be worn by Iowa healthcare providers during patient care.  Homemade washable cloth gowns are typically made of polyester or polyester-cotton fabrics. Gowns made of these fabrics can be safely laundered using routine procedures and reused.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon says residents who would like to donate homemade gowns need to call Cass County Public Health at 243-7552 or Cass County EMA at 243-1500. You will be provided guidance on where to drop off donations. There are many different patterns available on the internet, please choose one that meets the specifications from the links below.

Sample patterns can be found at:  https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/sites/default/files/isolation-gown.pdf           https://www.fashiongirlsforhumanity.org/products/gown-pattern-package