Bell has announced it will be donating roughly 1.5 million face masks to healthcare and other frontline public workers nationwide to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company says the N95 and KN95 masks are being sent out to federal, provincial and territorial governments in every region of Canada, with priority for healthcare workers, first responders and other frontline workers supporting the public during the coronavirus pandemic. N95 masks filter up to 95% of airborne particles; KN95 masks are similar but made in China.
“Healthcare professionals, first responders and public servants of all kinds are working courageously to keep Canadians safe and well as our country copes with COVID-19, and many have been facing shortages of the protective equipment they need to do their jobs safely and effectively,” said Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada, in an issued statement. “Bell is proud to put our scale and global reach to work to help protect the people on the front lines of public health and safety with this donation.”
Bell said it was able to source personal protective equipment (PPE) for its own employees, but also acquired an extra 1.5 million N95 and KN95 masks “through multiple logistics partners,” valued at roughly $7.5 million Canadian dollars.
“Since the COVID-19 situation began, Bell has been guided by 2 principles: the dedication of all our resources to ensuring we keep Canadians connected and informed throughout the crisis, and doing everything possible to ensure the health and safety of our customers, the public and the Bell team,” added Bibic.
Yesterday, we reported Bell (and Telus) extended the waiving of home internet data overages until June 30, 2020, just like Rogers as well.
