Prime, Inc., donates $700,000 for new COVID-19 unit at Cox South

CoxHealth is grateful to announce that Robert and Lawana Low, on behalf of Prime, Inc., have generously donated $700,000 towards the new COVID-19 unit at Cox South – a figure that covers all construction costs associated with the project.

“During this chaotic time, it’s important to come together as a community. So, when CoxHealth leadership told us about this need, we were glad to contribute,” says Robert Low, CEO of Prime, Inc. “We are all in this together. We will persevere and defeat this virus. We thank our Prime Associates – in-house and drivers – who are certainly doing their part to keep essential goods moving throughout the nation. We also want to thank our front-line health care workers, and let them know: We support you!”

In April 2020, the COVID-19 unit was completed at Cox South. In just two weeks, the unit went from idea to reality: A shelled floor of the medical center was transformed into a 51-bed, ward-style Intensive Care Ventilator Unit designed to care for a possible surge of COVID-related illness. This addition augmented CoxHealth’s existing resources and beds to support potential patients who need critical inpatient care.

“Thanks to great community collaboration, including partially donated labor and supplies, the cost of the unit was kept at a minimum, but still $700,000 of construction costs remained,” says Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth. “Then came Prime, Inc., to make up the difference. I suspect, that for the rest of my life, every time I see a Prime truck rolling down the highway, I will reflect with gratitude for what they did for our community during this time of national crisis. They wrapped their arms around our hospital and our community. So, from one essential provider to another, thank you, Robert and Lawana Low, and the entire team at Prime, Inc.”

The new unit offers even greater opportunity to care for patients, as they will be located in large open spaces as opposed to individual rooms. The change also allows for conservation of Personal Protective Equipment, which is a crucial part of protecting caregivers.

“This is an unprecedented time, but we are encouraged by the many partners who are coming together to serve this community and make a life-changing difference for patients,” says Lisa Alexander, president of the CoxHealth Foundation. “We are extremely appreciative of Prime making this incredibly generous donation, which can impact this region for years to come.”