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Coronavirus: Facebook donates 750,000 face masks it had stored away and hopes to give away millions more amid questions over protective equipment

Social network joins Apple in giving away key protective equipment

Andrew Griffin
Monday 23 March 2020 17:58 GMT
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Facebook founder Mark Mr Zuckerberg said he’s concerned that Covid-19, and therefore the economic fallout, will last longer than people are anticipating (Ge
Facebook founder Mark Mr Zuckerberg said he’s concerned that Covid-19, and therefore the economic fallout, will last longer than people are anticipating (Ge

Facebook has given away 750,000 face masks and has said it will try and source "millions" more.

The decision comes as emergency workers struggle to find the key protective equipment required to safely treat people suffering with Covid-19.

But the donation has prompted questions about why Facebook kept its supply for so long, rather than giving them away earlier, as coronavirus spread across its home state of California.

Facebook joined other tech companies including Apple in giving away the equipment to the public.

Face masks have become difficult to obtain amid increasing demand among emergency workers and as the supply has been bought up by members of the public concerned about the spread of the disease.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said the company had decided to give away the masks in response to that urgent need.

"Health workers urgently need more protective gear," Mr Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook. "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!"

The announcement prompted a flurry of questions over why Facebook had kept such a large reserve of face masks when emergency workers were in such desparate need, and why they had not been given away earlier.

Face masks are just one of a variety of equipment that is in short supply as coronavirus spreads. Technology companies have also committed to do what they can to deal with shortages of other equipment such as ventilators.

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