UPDATE: Apple Has Sourced Over 20 Million Face Masks for Medical Workers
The company is in the process of shipping them out.
UPDATE (April 6, 2020): According to video update shared on Twitter by Apple CEO Tim Cook, the tech giant has managed to source over 20 million face masks for medical workers in need of personal protective equipment. The company is currently in the process of working with local governments to distribute these masks to areas most in need.
In addition, Apple has successfully designed and produced medical face shields using materials and manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and China. The first shipment of shields went to Kaiser hospital facilities in the Santa Clara Valley and by the end of the week, Apple hopes to have shipped more than 1 million units with ongoing shipments of an additional 1 million shields per week.
Take a look at Tim Cook’s statement, as well as a rendering of Apple’s new face shields, below.
Apple
Apple is dedicated to supporting the worldwide response to COVID-19. We’ve now sourced over 20M masks through our supply chain. Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers. pic.twitter.com/3xRqNgMThX
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 5, 2020
ORIGINAL STORY (March 23, 2020): The latest corporations to assist healthcare workers fighting the global coronavirus pandemic, LVMH and Apple have pledged to donate millions of masks to medical professionals in Europe and United States.
According to an official statement released by the luxury conglomerate, LVMH has secured an order of 10 million masks from a Chinese manufacturer. LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault has allocated €5 million EUR to jumpstart production of the masks, which should arrive in the next few days and will be donated to French authorities. A similar order will be made for at least four more weeks, resulting in a total of 40 million masks donated.
Similarly, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Twitter that the tech giant will be donating “millions” of masks to medical workers in the U.S. and Europe. “To every one of the heroes on the front lines, we thank you,” Cook wrote.
Earlier this month, LVMH shifted the focus of its perfume and cosmetics factories to the production of hand sanitizer, 12 tons of which was donated to public authorities. Companies including Netflix and Facebook have made similar moves, setting up multi-million dollar relief funds and grants for creatives and small businesses that are struggling.
#LVMHjoinsforces | LVMH will supply 10 million masks in France early next week.
Learn more: https://t.co/tySCbOizTx— LVMH (@LVMH) March 21, 2020
Our teams at Apple have been working to help source supplies for healthcare providers fighting COVID-19. We’re donating millions of masks for health professionals in the US and Europe. To every one of the heroes on the front lines, we thank you.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 21, 2020
