This Is Apple's Coronavirus-Fighting Face Shield
Apple is using its supply chain partners to ramp up production of protective shields for health care workers facing a shortage of masks.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a video that the company has already shipped some masks to healthcare facilities in California's Santa Clara Valley.
On Wednesday, Apple posted instructions describing how to assemble the shields and ensure a secure fit.
Apple has joined a coalition of companies that have pivoted production from sports equipment, car parts, and electronics components to protective gear, like face masks and shields, to safeguard health care workers facing an immense shortage of supplies while fighting the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
"Teams across Apple have been working hard on ways we can support our heroic frontline medical professionals," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a video posted to Twitter on April 5. Apple delivered its first shipment to Kaiser Permanente hospital facilities in the Santa Clara Valley last week, and "the feedback from doctors was very positive," Cook added.
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
Apple has procured the materials required for 20 million masks through its supply chain. Cook said the tech giant has been working closely with governments at all levels to ensure it distributes the shields to organizations with the greatest need. So no, you probably won't be able to buy an Apple-branded shield anytime soon.
By the end of this week, Cook expects to reach one million masks shipped. Each week thereafter, Apple plans to ship an additional million masks and hopes to expand outside the U.S. Under this framework, Apple should distribute the 20 million masks by sometime in August.
The shields pack flat, fitting 100 into each box, and you can put them together in under two minutes. On Wednesday, Apple updated its website to include a page all about the assembly of the face shields, plus tips for sanitizing. Each shield consists of three pieces: the plastic shield, a forehead strap, and a latex-free silicone strap that ties behind the head. Health care workers may use the standard fit or adjust the shields for some extra space.
"For Apple, this is a labor of love and gratitude and we will share more of our efforts over time," Cook said. "In the meantime, each of us can stop the spread of the virus by following expert advice to stay home and practice social distancing."
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