Facebook Donates 720,000 Respiratory Masks To Combat Coronavirus

Facebook is donating 720,000 respiratory masks to health care workers as shortages of masks plague hospitals across the United States, according to Variety.

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Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook have a surplus of masks to give away after purchasing them for the California wildfires. Zuckerberg announced the donation on Facebook: “Health workers urgently need more protective gear. To help, Facebook donated our emergency reserve of 720,000 masks that we had bought in case the wildfires continued. We’re also working on sourcing millions of more to donate. I hope you’re all staying healthy and safe!”

Facebook has also added the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center, a new feature that displays atop the news feed with updates from WHO, and CDC and more organizations.

Facebook joins Apple, which will also be donating a surplus of respiratory masks. “Our teams at Apple have been working to help source supplies for healthcare providers fighting COVID-19,” CEO Tim Cook wrote on Twitter. “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.”

The White House has asked any private companies, who are able, to donate respiratory masks to health organizations. The masks are designed to filter out at least 95% of airborne particles.