Executive Order directing employers to provide essential workers with cloth or surgical face masks to wear when directly interacting with the public (video) – Governor Cuomo. We’d also like to see grocery store workers, who are on check out, have face shields as well

Adafruit is trying to get a mask machine for NYC. We are prioritizing paying all 130+ people: we did no layoffs, no furloughing, no cut hours. We are talking to NYC, NYS, and our bank to see if we can get a loan or grant fast-tracked to start making masks for all of NYC. The capacity we could hit is over 1m masks a month for all New Yorkers. We believe all New Yorkers are going to need masks, if you look at cities returning to “normal” such as Shenzhen … it’s not if, but when, we’ll all need masks. Every New Yorker should have them.

If you are a NYC or NYS philanthropist, financier or banker and want to help, email: [email protected] We will apply for a loan, whatever it takes.

Adafruit runs an entire manufacturing line, we can have this up and running in weeks, not months. We have the logistics, the space, the team, and urgency to make this happen *now* – the machines and materials are ready to ship to us.

All Adafruit team members on site are issued PPE (mask, gloves, soap/sanitizers, no-contact thermometers, fever scanners, commuter gear). This was in place in March before we were considered an essential service for manufacturing, and although we do not interact with public aside from delivery services (USPS, UPS, DHL, same-day courier) and a few building staff. Our protocols require PPE for each team member at all times. Additionally, even team members not working on site will be sent PPE so they can safely get groceries, etc. We have also provided PPE for team members who have had special needs, and/or were taking care of family members who tested positive for COVID-19 while sheltering at home (they did not become ill). Zero out of 130+ Adafruit team members have reported testing positive or becoming ill at this time. There are only a few that work on site on PPE and components for essential medical devices, etc.

Here’s what is happening in NYC, and around the world.

New York:
NYC Workers Mandated To Cover Faces Amid Coronavirus Spread: Starting Monday, all city employees will be required to cover their faces while interacting with the public.

Los Angles:
Coronavirus: Face Mask Mandate Goes Into Effect In Los Angeles.

Spain:
Spain to hand out millions of masks at subway stations.

Police in Spain are handing out face masks at train stations to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus – Twitter.

Singapore:
Person posted up the govt-issued masks.

We’ve been on this path to get a machine in by end of April, here is the video from April 4th. If you are a NYC / NYS philanthropist, financier, and want to help email: [email protected] We will apply for a loan, whatever it takes.