Tim Cook announces Apple will be shipping face shields, protective masks for US Health Workers

Tim Cook, Chief Executive at Apple, on a twitter post shared two new updates regarding the company's policy of helping the world in fighting Coronavirus. All over the world, medical health professionals are facing an acute shortage of Personal Protective Equipments (PPE). In this wake, Apple Inc. has already donated more than 20 million face masks. They now have started producing 1 million face shields a week.

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

The first update was related to the supply of face masks. Cook said, "The number of masks we have been able to source through our supply chain has risen to over 20 million around the world."

In an earlier statement, Apple Inc had stated that they will supply 10 million masks. The number has doubled.

“This is a truly global effort. And we’re working continuously and closely with governments at all levels to ensure these are donated to places of greatest need,” Cook said in the Twitter video posted Sunday afternoon.

The second update was related to the face shields. Apple has brought together product designers, engineering, operations and packaging teams and suppliers. They will design, produce and ship the face shields. Cook said that Apple delivered the first shipment of face shields to Kaiser hospital in Santa Clara Valley. The doctors also had positive feedback.

The adjustable, plastic face shields can be assembled in less than two minutes, Cook said, and ship 100 to a box.

How Apple Face Shield will look

“We plan to ship over 1 million by the end of this week, and over 1 million per week after that,” Cook said. Besides, Apple is coordinating with medical professionals around the country to get the equipment to where it’s needed the most. Tim also said that Apple hopes to soon expand distribution beyond the U.S.

“In both these efforts, our focus is on unique ways Apple can help, meeting essential needs of caregivers urgently and at a scale, the circumstances require,” Cook said. “For Apple, this is a labour of love and gratitude, and we will share more of our efforts over time.”