Covid: Saudi Aramco gives out masks to Houston, Texas

It is undeniable that the United States faces challenges in addressing the COVID-19 epidemic. The country has quickly become the unfortunate title-holder of the highest number of confirmed cases, far ahead of European countries such as Spain, France, and Italy.

In face of this crisis, one of the major hurdles is the shortage of suitable medical equipment. This is why Aramco has called on its well-established global supply chain to transport some 30,000 KN95 masks before donating them to the city of Houston. The protective masks are primarily intended for healthcare workers, law enforcement officials and firefighters.

 

We are supporting efforts to protect fire, police, and health responders in @HoustonTX through a donation of 30,000 KN95 masks to help the City of Houston and @HouMayor @SylvesterTurner in response to #COVID_19. @HoustonHealth Click here to read more: https://t.co/XijGMR2k7p pic.twitter.com/jwd0wpC3Vc

— Aramco Americas (@Aramco_Americas) April 17, 2020

Committed player

The mayor of the city in question, Sylvester Turner, considers himself fortunate to have had access to such resources, especially bearing in mind the supply shortages plaguing the rest of the country. This is not the only field the oil company has gotten involved with. A committed player on its territory, Aramco works, according to Turner, hand in hand with local authorities and other charitable organizations to address major matters such as education, hunger and environmental protection.

 

Today we received a generous donation of 30,000 KN95 masks from @Aramco_Americas. These masks will protect police, fire and City of Houston employees who are on the front lines of the #COVID19 pandemic. @HoustonTX @HoustonOEM @HoustonHealthFD @houmayor #hounews pic.twitter.com/mZNUwA7CBU

— Houston Health Dept (@HoustonHealth) April 17, 2020

Safety first

The city of Houston, serving as the epicenter of the United States’ oil industry, has housed the headquarters of Aramco Americas for almost five decades. Mohammed Alshammari, President and CEO of the company, even declared: “The safety of our employees and the community is a top priority for us.”

As a reminder, the most recent statistics display that Texas has 18,923 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with an average of 663 new cases daily and a total of 477 deaths. The largest number can be pinned to Harris County, which includes the densely populated city of Houston.