😷 Apple donating 9M face masks to US healthcare facilities

[Duppers]

Apple donating 9M face masks to US healthcare facilities amid coronavirus outbreak

Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Clarifying earlier statements made over the weekend, Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said Apple is donating 9 million N95 face masks to healthcare facilities in the U.S. as medical workers fight to stave off COVID-19.

"And I spoke today, and the president spoke last week, with Tim Cook of Apple," Pence said. "And at this moment in time Apple went to their store houses and is donating 9 million N95 masks to healthcare facilities all across the country and to the national stockpile."

Whether Apple plans to make similarly large donations to other stricken countries is at this point unknown. Cook on Saturday said the company is giving "millions" of masks to health professionals in the U.S. and Europe.

Healthcare workers in the U.S. and abroad are in dire need of the essential protective gear, stock of which has quickly depleted as COVID-19 continues its steady march across the globe.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/03/24/apple-donating-9m-face-masks-to-us-healthcare-facilities-amid-coronavirus-outbreak

[Steelrolled]

1. Interesting how Apple has access to these supplies

I assume normal supply chains for medical systems are probably not designed for swift action, whereas Tim Cook can get on the phone to counterparts around the world, bypassing governments, and start calling in favors. I imagine this is going on at all levels and in different industries around the world.

[matt819]

2. Couple of questions

What else is in Apple’s “storehouses”?

Why are there 9 million masks there?

Are there more than 9 million?

And if there are 9 million masks, what else is in this storehouses?

And if there have been 9 million masks, why the fuck did it take so long to get them donated?

And why are they donating then through the USG? Why not through non-profits? Or why not to individual states?

[Duppers]

4. Good questions!

They should be shipped & allocated directly to the hospitals with the most needs first, then on down the list.

[HarlanPepper]

6. They probably didn't want to be irrationally criticized.

[herding cats]

7. Just a guess here, but they could be the ones they use in cleanrooms?

Where I live I know a lot of tech workers and in cleanrooms they gear up to where contamination poses risks.

[dalton99a]

9. Apple (and other Silicon Valley companies) bought them for employees because of the wildfires

[herding cats]

10. Oh! Then they're the N95 good ones!!

That's truly amazing news!

On edit, if the number is that high, I bet it's a mix of the two.

[dalton99a]

11. All N95 according to Apple.

9 million units was about half a day's N95 production in China - not a big deal at the time:

China's DAILY production of N95 masks

Before Wuhan outbreak: 20 million units per day
As of February 29, 2020: 1.66 million units per day

[herding cats]

12. I should have updated this again, my apologies.

I saw where they worked deals to get these from the manufacturers.

It's extremely good news! At least someone was looking out for our healthcare worker and not just their need to trash the country who makes the vast majority to boost their re-election.

[dalton99a]

13. +1. Indeed.

[cos dem]

3. Did Tim Cook say this, or just Pence?

If it's the administration, it's probably BS.

[Duppers]

5. Brian Williams said the news

Came from Apple.

[herding cats]

8. Cook tweeted about it without an actual number on Saturday.

Link to tweet

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.