Boeing delivering first COVID-19 facemasks

Boeing has delivered the first set of reusable 3D-printed face shields to support healthcare professionals working to stop the spread of COVID-19. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accepted the initial shipment of 2,300 face shields on Friday. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will deliver the shields to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, which has been established as an alternate care site to treat patients with COVID-19. SEE: Qatar Airways making flying safer than ever. Boeing says that it is set to produce thousands more face shields per week, gradually increasing production output to meet the growing need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the United States. Distribution of additional face shields will be coordinated with HHS and FEMA based on immediate needs. Boeing is producing face shields with additive manufacturing machines at company sites across the US. Solvay, a long-time Boeing supplier, provided the clear film for the face shields. Another supplier, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, donated the elastic used for the adjustable headband. Face shield production and donations are part of a larger Boeing effort to leverage company and employee resources to aid with COVID-19 recovery and relief efforts. To date, the company has donated tens of thousands of units of PPE — including face masks, goggles, gloves, safety glasses and protective bodysuits — to support healthcare professionals battling COVID-19 in some of the hardest-hit locations in the United States. Boeing has also offered the use of its unique airlift capabilities, including the Boeing Dreamlifter, to help transport critical and urgently needed supplies to healthcare professionals. The company is coordinating closely with government officials on how best to provide airlift support. Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun said: “Boeing is proud to stand alongside many other great American companies in the fight against COVID-19, and we are dedicated to supporting our local communities, especially our frontline healthcare professionals, during this unprecedented time.” “History has proven that Boeing is a company that rises to the toughest challenges with people who are second to none. Today, we continue that tradition, and we stand ready to assist the federal government’s response to this global pandemic.”