In the U.S. Coronavirus Task Force press briefing today, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced that Apple will be donating 2 million face masks for medical professionals fighting COVID-19.
Pence also asked for other companies to provide other donations of medical supplies, as well as those of smaller business and individuals who may have supplies on hand. “It’s a great time to go to your storeroom. If you have N95 masks, if you’ve got 100 of them, if you’ve got 10,000 of them, load them up and drive them to your local hospital,” said Pence.
Soon after the briefing ended, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed the donation on Twitter:
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
On March 14th, Apple CEO Cook announced: In our workplaces and communities, we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Apple will be temporarily closing all stores outside of Greater China until March 27 and committing $15M to help with worldwide recovery.
MacDailyNews Take: Thank you, Apple, for donating millions of N95 face masks to medical professionals!
MacDailyNews Note: More info on the Prevention & Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) via the U.S. CDC is here. Track the Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) here.
Way to go Apple!
can they send some to my hospital?
And where are these face masks to be purchased? The vast majority are made in China along with other PPE ( personal protective equipment). Maybe Pence should have also asked for donations of bandanas & scarves, since the CDC says they can be used as a last resort. America needs to suck up its pride & admit it needs China’s help. And BEG for these supplies. Otherwise, if you have to visit a doctor, don’t be alarmed if he enters the room with a bandana over his face.
p.s. Sadly my crystal ball shows an economic depression & anarchy. Be prepared!
You need to beg forgiveness for a totally stupid post…
Absolutely agreed a really stupid comment. Western economies can manufacture masks and ventilators and are gearing up to do so now. Would be good if people just got educated and did what they have to do. Self isolate wash your hands and take care of each other.
@Gak
This country seems to be stuck in the we “are gearing up to do so now” stage.
How do millions of health care workers “self isolate” when interacting with symptomatic or infected individuals without adequate personal protective equipment? In some cases, medical staff can’t get tested & may be spreading the virus .A microcosm of what’s really going on:
https://www.businessinsider.com/hospital-nurses-struggle-to-get-tested-for-coronavirus-2020-3
An effort to laud, but….
I’d sure like Tim to add to his typical forays into “make culture better,” some verve and notable criticism to the financial system that’s, again, inextricably linked to the downfall we’re experiencing. There’s A LOT of financial malfeasance going on, with banking, debt, corporate privilege, via privatized gain/socialized debt, that needs to be rigorously parsed.
I can only guess he’ll keep to his pet issues, even though what’s happening now makes the other issues pale a bit in relation. Because he’s benefitting from “the system,” it also seems unlikely, he’d challenge the system.
For clarity, this in not an opinion that’s consistent with “punish the rich and corporations-bad”…ala Bernie Boys. It’s one that wants to change/abolish the “privatized gain/socialized debt” paradigm…that simply enables losers to escape consequences of business failure, while the public absorbs the loss.
Thank you Tim Cook!… 👍🏻🇺🇸🦅
Irony Alert!
How galling for those who have campaigned year long for Tim Cooks immediate dismissal for…
Public statements
Tweeting
Public appearances
Donations to public causes
Getting involved in politics
…to name a few. Yet here we are, with Tim Cook having done all those things with this one action, he’s being cheered to the rooftops by all those doubters.
So when some semblance of order returns, just remember who is stepping up to help the US and the fight against COVID-19 and thereby helping the President out of a hole.
Thanks too to Tim Cook and MDN for correctly naming COVID-19.
Actually, it’s just praising someone who has done something good. This has nothing to do with business acumen or lack thereof
Well said! And thank you.👍🏻🤠
Mental midgets like Gotcha are either all in or all out absolute extremists, totally incapable of nuance and assessment of the FULL picture. Life is simply too complicated for simplistic minds based on partisan code words incapable of COMPLETE THOUGHT.
Tim Cook’s charity donation is a superlative act of kindness and should be applauded by EVERYONE! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
That said and pay attention Gotcha, there are more creative CEOs out there to lead Apple. Scott Forstall is the gold star example. Wrap that around your pea brain…🤣
So, a mild rebuke, naming no one in particular, elicits a full on ad hominem laden attack that, by extension, infers the poster is, by comparison a nuanced, mental giant in possession of the full picture, devoid of partisan spin and extreme opinion?
Well thanks for outing yourself.
I will never comprehend why your head doesn’t explode.
Denial is not a river In Egypt…
Yep.
Why and where does Apple have millions of masks to give? Unused space in the spaceship? 😉
Apple is donating masks. I don’t see that they are N95 masks. But MDN Take says N95. There is a difference. As someone who is taking care of COVID-19 patients currently, I would only feel safe with an N95 mask. Unfortunately, not enough are available in the hospital where I work.
Right. So why does Apple have 2 million masks? Are they hoarding them and other items folks need to stay alive?