Apple, among others, helping with much needed supply of N95 masks
Apple has announced that it will be aiming to donate millions of N95 masks to hospitals in both the United States and Europe. Apple’s ops team are currently trying to find and purchase masks from Apple’s supply chain – in coordination with governments.
From the source, Tim Cook:
Proud to share we’ve been able to source 10M masks for the US and millions more for the hardest hit regions in Europe. Our ops teams are helping to find and purchase masks from our supply chain in coordination with governments around the world. pic.twitter.com/uTsA6eA5ks
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 25, 2020
This is an urgent, important, and necessary task, as the current Coronavirus pandemic has led to a critical shortage of N95 masks, which healthcare workers need in order to protect themselves.
Elsewhere, fashion companies from H&M and Zara to LVMH, Kering, and Prada have also pledged to supply protective items for medical workers, either by using their production facilities to make masks, or by buying finished masks directly from China, which makes most of the world’s medical masks.
LVMH, who owns Louis Vuitton and Dior, said on March 21 it had managed to order 10 million masks from a Chinese industrial supplier, including 7 million surgical masks and 3 million FFP2 masks. It plans to repeat the order in similar quantities weekly for at least four weeks. Kering, owner of Gucci and other labels, is purchasing a total of 3 million masks from China to give to France’s health service.
Additionally, good guy Gap Inc has announced via Twitter that it would “pivot resources so factory partners can make masks, gowns & scrubs for healthcare workers on the front lines.”