Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared a video message with an update on the company's response to the ongoing pandemic.
Cook said Apple has now sourced over 20 million masks that it is in the process of donating to healthcare professionals around the world. Apple is working with governments to ensure that the masks are donated to the places of greatest need.
Cook added that Apple's design, engineering, operations, and packaging teams are working with suppliers to design, produce, and ship face shields for medical workers. Apple plans to donate one million face shields by the end of this week, followed by an additional one million per week. Cook said the face shields take less than two minutes to assemble.
The adjustable face shields can be packed flat, allowing 100 to fit in each box. Shipments will initially go to medical facilities in the United States, but Apple plans to expand distribution globally at a later date.
Apple recently delivered its first batch of face shields to Kaiser medical facilities in the Santa Clara Valley and said feedback was very positive.
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
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Gurman made the same comment ...
The question needs to be asked: What were they doing with 20 million masks in the first place? If they didn't have them, but bought them all up to distribute to others, what's the point of that? It's not like health care places can't afford masks — they can't find any. And if they couldn't find any? How is it that Apple found/had 20 MILLION of them?
Something seems really weird about this whole thing. It doesn't sound right.
They have a supply chain throughout the world. They know where to find factories that can churn these things out. The governor of a random state probably doesn’t. The U.S. government presumably could have done the same thing.
The question needs to be asked: What were they doing with 20 million masks in the first place? If they didn't have them, but bought them all up to distribute to others, what's the point of that? It's not like health care places can't afford masks — they can't find any. And if they couldn't find any? How is it that Apple found/had 20 MILLION of them?
Something seems really weird about this whole thing. It doesn't sound right.
Did it seriously not occur to you that their factories probably regularly use face masks in their production lines?
