SpaceX donates face shields, protective suits and will make hand sanitizer that 'is effective at killing' C19 amid pandemic

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Hospitals from around the world are facing serious shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and vital ventilator machines, due to the coronavirus pandemic that has strained healthcare systems and PPE manufacturing companies across the globe. In the United States, medical personnel has voiced their concerns over the shortage that makes them ill-equipped to properly take care of patients infected with COVID-19, a novel coronavirus strain that causes respiratory illness. Many hospitals have been asking companies via social media to donate ventilators and their inventory of protective equipment.

Elon Musk, CEO at SpaceX and Tesla, has joined the effort to help medical personnel with the equipment needed. He announced via Twitter that Tesla and SpaceX will manufacture ventilators, "as soon as humanly possible." They are working with the medical device company Medtronic to start ventilator production and help hospitals facing shortages as more COVID-19 patients need oxygen machines for survival. His companies have also donated their inventory of N95 masks to several hospitals facing shortage in the United States.

Yeah, SpaceX is working on ventilators too

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 20, 2020

According to an e-mail Musk sent to SpaceX employees (CNBC reports), he shows support to medical workers and says the rocket company will make hand sanitizer that "complies with CDC guidelines and is effective at killing COVID-19."

SpaceX will make hand sanitizer that "complies with CDC guidelines and is effective at killing COVID-19."

Materials engineering teams will work alongside health and safety teams at SpaceX to begin hand sanitizer production at its facilities. All in an effort to help medical personnel in the front lines of caring for COVID-19 infected patients. The company is also manufacturing face shields for hospitals. So far, engineers have made 75 face shields that have been donated to Cedars Sinai Medical Center near the SpaceX facility in Hawthorne, California. SpaceX also donated 100 Tyvek protective full body suits to local healthcare providers.

Hospitals have been facing a blood donation shortage due to United States government's "shelter-in-place" order that mandates individuals to stay at home in some states, as a countermeasure to control virus spread. CNBC reports, employees at SpaceX volunteered to host a blood drive with the American Red Cross in California headquarters this week, and may do the same at other facilities.