MONTREAL -- An army of sewing contractors is ready to answer the call and make hospital gowns and help healthcare professionals in the fight against COVID-19.

The Coop Couturieres Pop of Quebec called on all who can wield a needle and thread to step to their sewing machines and lend a hand in the fight against the COVID-19 virus.

The response was phenomenal.

Since putting the call out three days ago, the coop posted on its Facebook page that it received over 1,600 offers from sewing to transportation to admin.

The seamstress cooperative was responding to the federal government’s call to manufacturers for help by asking coop members to produce large quantities of hospital gowns.

“In order to minimize delays and be able to offer health centres what they need as quickly as possible, we call on the help of all the seamstresses in Montreal,” the coop posted on its website.

Coop co-founder Manon Daneau wrote on Facebook that the team will respond to the multitude of applications as soon as it can.