Panic buying of medical face masks for personal use, in combination with the mandated shutdown of mask production factories in response to COVID-19, has caused a worldwide shortage of these face masks. Medical personnel need these masks in order to protect themselves and their patients from this highly infectious disease and stop the spread of the virus.
Foxconn, a multinational electronics contractor and a long-time VMware SD-WAN™ by VeloCloud® partner, is a manufacturer of these face masks, in addition to also manufacturing Apple products and gaming consoles. Foxconn was impacted by the closures in the first few months of the year, thus mask production was halted.
However, after Foxconn’s region of business began to bounce back from the impact of COVID, factories re-opened and mask production resumed. To thank VeloCloud, now part of VMware for its patience during the closures that resulted in minor manufacturing delays, Foxconn offered to send the business unit and its members 200 face masks.
VMware had already issued a work from home advisory to all its employees worldwide and our employees had no need for the masks, but as VMware is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area where the first California-based COVID case was identified, it decided to donate those masks to a local hospital that was in need.
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center was the first facility in California to diagnose a case of COVID. It has been running out of supplies, especially as everyone who enters the facility must wear a face mask. The situation is dire.
Last week, the masks sent by Foxconn arrived in California and were delivered to Valley Medical Center to an appreciative staff.
VMware would like to issue a huge thank you to Foxconn for the donation. Every bit helps in these times and we thank you for your contribution.
