Apple Donating Millions of Masks to Healthcare Professionals in U.S. and Europe

[tagsaid]

Great!

But where is Apple getting the 2 million masks?

My guess is one of two places:
1. They have a TON of construction going on, which are probably on hold due to COVID - they wear masks which the CDC has cleared are good enough for medical use for this pandemic, so that may be one source.

2. They have doctors and medical staff hired even for overseeing testing to that the "test subjects" go through for the AppleWatch and health apps, they wear them for sure, so they that could be another source.

But these are just my personal guesses.

 

[Williesleg]

A website that complies with HIPAA regulations and securely integrates many other services and databases is hard.

You realize there are multiple graduate degrees in computer science covering these topics right? "Making" a WordPress or Squarespace site: not the same thing.

Yeah with all those engineers and brainpower they have little to show. Heck, the CDC website has more info. HIPAA is easy when you have the right people.
[automerge]1584832329[/automerge]

NIOSH N95 masks are industrial grade. They aren't approved for medical use.

They are now. Watch the White House press conferences.

 

[noraa]

I love the fact that you all think masks for protecting construction workers from dust and debris will actually protect medical staff.

Someone who is not infected gains almost no benefit from wearing a mask. The benefit comes from making people who are infected wear them. So when they cough or sneeze the water vapour is captured.

You are correct that regular off the shelf masks won't help protect medical workers. However, N95 masks are not your regular off the shelf masks. They are designed specifically for this purpose, to protect the non-sick from getting sick.
[automerge]1584832455[/automerge]

Isn’t the bigger problem the lack of ventilators, should thing turn for the worse?
I realize the masks are important for front line medical staff...but they will be making difficult decisions if there isn’t enough ventilators to go around.

GM has announced they are converting their factories to build ventilators. Tesla has also announced that too (though to a lesser extent...partially because Elon Musk doesn't think Covid-19 poses a risk, because he's a nut job...)

 

[mantan]

How is this “political?” Is the disease running for office?

For people like me who say they should invoke the Defense Production Act weeks ago so we could purchase these things and have plenty of stock rather than waiting for (and celebrating) when Jack Ma and Apple donate them. We should be operating as first would country ahead of this, not relying on handouts to tide us over.

 

[noraa]

Too bad that the N95 mask isn't right kind of mask for this. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Both the WHO and the CDC would beg to differ. It's not perfect, but it is significantly better than surgical mask, or any other over the counter masks. The 95 in N95 refers to the % (95%) of particulates blocked - including viruses and bacteria.

N95 respirators are more effective, but they require the same material as the mask. As such, N95 material needs to produced regardless.

 

[cmaier]

You are correct that regular off the shelf masks won't help protect medical workers. However, N95 masks are not your regular off the shelf masks. They are designed specifically for this purpose, to protect the non-sick from getting sick.
[automerge]1584832455[/automerge]


GM has announced they are converting their factories to build ventilators. Tesla has also announced that too (though to a lesser extent...partially because Elon Musk doesn't think Covid-19 poses a risk, because he's a nut job...)

GM isn’t converting their factories. They are working with a ventilator manufacturer to provide logistics and supply chain support; they aren’t building ventilators themselves.

 

[noraa]

GM isn’t converting their factories. They are working with a ventilator manufacturer to provide logistics and supply chain support; they aren’t building ventilators themselves.

Ah, you're right. Though reports out there are stating that GM is at least looking into the possibility of converting it's factories - though those reports are unconfirmed.

 

[cmaier]

Ah, you're right. Though reports out there are stating that GM is at least looking into the possibility of converting it's factories - though those reports are unconfirmed.

Would be nice, but not that easy to change when they have no expertise unless someone works with them to do it. Would also be nice if governments gave protection to companies that do that sort of thing so they can’t be sued for patent infringement, etc. when they make these things.

 

[lunarworks]

Great!

But where is Apple getting the 2 million masks?

Tim Cook is a master of supply chain management, so he probably knew all the right phone calls to make. The man could procure anything.

 

[nitramluap]

That's great & all... but it isn't the role of politicians to tell us what private enterprises are doing (and I'm sure Apple isn't keen on them doing it either).

This just highlights how Government has failed everyone. Thanks, Trump.

EDIT: It’s fascinating how many people dislike this opinion. Some of you Americans are in deeper than you realise!

 

[Williesleg]

Great!

But where is Apple getting the 2 million masks?

They already have them. According to the White House press conference today, they're industrial masks that the administration along with science has declared they are safe to use in hospitals and medical purposes. They also mentioned they're looking at testing where they don't need masks, and disinfecting masks where they can be instead of having them single use in all cases. YouTube the press conference today.

 

[budselectjr]

Why was Apple hoarding masks?

 

[JPack]

NIOSH N95 masks are industrial grade. They aren't approved for medical use.

Industrial N95 respirators have the same properties as FDA cleared medical N95 respirators.

Medical N95s are simply fluid and flame resistant. Health care workers aren't in a room performing vascular surgery or doing electrocautery.

 

[baypharm]

My wife's hospital started implementing 1 gown + 1 mask per worker-patient because of shortages - meaning you have a different gown and mask for each patient, but if you see a patient 8 times on a shift you're reusing the same gown and mask eight times (unless they get soiled of course).

Yes. And what the government is not in-tune with is, if all the healthcare workers die or become seriously ill themselves - then the rest of us is doomed. We need top priority to take care of our healthcare workers FIRST.

 

[JosephAW]

Why? I think most people know where Apple's income comes from.

I think they forget from time to time.

 

[joelhinch]

It is both foolish and impossible to separate the pandemic from the government's response to it. Let's be real. The number of people dead and sick is tied directly to what goes on in dc.

But nothing to do with China covering up the virus and its affects for 3 months. Right?

 

[Will do good]

Why does hospitals with their high profits doesn't have stockpiles of such basic items as masks and gloves on hand? this is only the beginning of the crisis and they are already low or out of supplies? Looks like Just-in-time supply chain doesn't work in all situations.

 

[oldtime]

But nothing to do with China covering up the virus and its affects for 3 months. Right?

Why so defensive? Where did I say anything about that? Yes, of course China deserves blame. But 45 also deserves blame for being told in early January that this was serious and twiddling his thumbs as a first, second, and third response. And given that I live in the US, guess where more of my focus is? On my elected representatives.

 

[noraa]

But nothing to do with China covering up the virus and its affects for 3 months. Right?

Yay for "what aboutisms."

China certainly didn't help the situation, but Trump was briefed as early as January about the threat for coronavirus, and did basically nothing about it.
[automerge]1584845077[/automerge]

But nothing to do with China covering up the virus and its affects for 3 months. Right?

There are some rural hospitals that don't have the funds to stock pile masks. Furthermore, most hospitalizations don't require the use of N95 masks; so I can't imagine hospitals had a ton of stock pile to begin with.

 

[JPack]

Yay for "what aboutisms."

China certainly didn't help the situation, but Trump was briefed as early as January about the threat for coronavirus, and did basically nothing about it.

China let the WHO know on December 31, 2019 about a big cluster of patients. They shared the genomic sequence with the world on January 12. Even if Trump had a time machine, he would still blame someone else.

 

[ZipZap]

If the Russian rate of virus infection/deaths is any indication, Trump's administration is 100% at fault for the terrible conditions in the USA.

 

[steve333]

Now every company in the country needs to do something like this and that would make a huge difference.
American companies are notoriously greedy and give way too much to the CEOs vs the workers, time to step up

 

[brucemr]

China let the WHO know on December 31, 2019 about a big cluster of patients. They shared the genomic sequence with the world on January 12. Even if Trump had a time machine, he would still blame someone else.

Trump does have a time machine. It exists in his imagination.

 

[Hieveryone]

Great! Hopefully they can get their hands on more, but 2 million is obviously great and appreciated. We need as many as we can get to these hospitals (and maybe to people too if possible!)

 

[jonblatho]

Why was Apple hoarding masks?

They almost certainly aren’t; there’s little reason for Apple to be sitting on a hoard of N95 masks (or at least one that big). The reasonable assumption is that they’re making use of what they already know from procuring parts and materials for their own manufacturing needs to procure masks, and knowing what can be known about Apple’s supply chain, probably for ludicrously cheap.