The technology industry has continued to be extremely innovative over the past decade. In that time, the industry has made amazing progress in a variety of different industries including the automotive, communications, and healthcare industry. While the industry is normally characterized by making highly advanced technology, they recently have been in the news for providing extremely necessary and far more basic supplies.
Over the past week, the COVID-19 outbreak has continued to change everyone’s life across the world. This outbreak has clearly had an even more significant impact on the lives of healthcare professionals. While they are already putting their lives and health at risk, the lack of masks and other basic supplies has made the job more challenging and dangerous.
While there has been a lack of medical supplies in the field, some of the world’s largest tech companies has helped to solve this problem by donating their emergency supply of masks. Recently, Facebook donated more than 750,000 masks and SpaceX donated more than 250,000.
The donation of these masks is highly appreciated, especially when there continues to be an enormous shortage. However, it makes some wonder where these companies had these items stored and why they accumulated such an enormous supply. Following the recent major forest fires in California in recent years, the need for these masks became extremely evident. To ensure that their team and staff was properly protected, these masks were provided in the event employee lives or health was put at risk.
Beyond ensuring that they were prepared for the risk of fire, the tech companies in California likely were required by law to have these on hand. Current California labor laws require that companies have proper respirators and protective masks on hand to protect their staff in the event air quality in the area deteriorates. While the masks today are not being used for the intended purpose, people all over the country should be pleased that the company’s did take these measures and had the masks on hand.
Dil Bole Oberoi
