A San Diego County-based company donated 600 hydration packets to healthcare workers in hard-hit New York with plans to contribute more.
Vitalyte, a hydration-centric company in Escondido, said it made its donation to staff at the Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx. The company said it wants to do “its part to keep these heroes hydrated to help fight back exhaustion in these trying times.”
“We are doing our part and are so happy to have helped those brave doctors, nurses and other staff in the Bronx,” COO Evan Lucas said. “Now, we are focused on helping many others across the country including in our hometown of San Diego. We stand together with these amazing men and women.”
New York has become the U.S. epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. As of Monday, more than 13,800 have been killed from the COVID-19 disease in New York, which is caused by the new coronavirus. In San Diego County, more than 2,268 cases people have been infected and 71 people have died.
The company, which was founded 40 years ago by biochemist and marathon runner Bill Gookin and provides products to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes faster, said its launching a national campaign with the hopes to donate more to healthcare workers.
“We’d love to donate as many as we can to help,” Milena Glusac, Vitalyte’s vice president of marketing, said.”We are matching all sales of our ‘on-the-go’ stick packs. We hope those who are stretched to their limits will be able to take some time to refuel.”
Glusac said Vitalyte made its donation to the Lincoln Medical Center in New York after it received a request. Fulfilling that request was a “no brainer,” she said.
“Those on the front lines require both mental and physical sharpness to be at their best,” Glusac said. Being dehydrated affects intellectual acuity and physiological response. The brain is the most sensitive organ in the body. By the time you have become dehydrated as little as 1% of your body weight, your mental reaction and alertness has suffered. These key functions are vital for health responders when every minute matters while saving lives.”
Sarah McClure of Lincoln Medical Center said she reached out to the Escondido company after using Vitalyte products in the past.
“Our employees are having to wear masks and respirators 100% of the time to avoid getting the illness,” McClure said. “Every night I go home so exhausted and dehydrated because I can no longer drink fluid through the 12-hour shift due to risks of contamination. I have used Vitalyte in the past at summer camps where dehydration was a problem.”
Vitalyte hopes to donate more hydration packets with the help of the public. The company said it will not send unsolicited donations to hospitals, but is asking anyone who participates to contact their friends or acquaintances in the medical field to send the donation.
“We can all help,” Glusac said. “Help anyway you can.”
For more information about Vitalyte or to make a donation, go to vitalyte.com.
