Vivo on Wednesday announced that it will donate 1 lakh medical masks and 5,000 N95 masks ‘designed to filter airborne particles’ to the government of Maharashtra in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. “At a time when the entire country is in lockdown, healthcare workers continue to work under difficult circumstances and rigorously fight against the spread of the virus. Thus, it becomes vital to take special initiatives to ensure safety of these caregivers,” Vivo said in a press statement.
Vivo has also postponed the launch of its upcoming Vivo V19 phone indefinitely in lieu of the government of India’s 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of novel coronavirus. Vivo has reportedly also suspended all manufacturing at its Greater Noida facility to comply with the COVID-19 lockdown.
“In these crucial times, it is vital that we all stand united and contribute towards containing this global health pandemic. We have planned to suspend all our new product launches during this period. We also acknowledge the role caregivers play in these crucial times and wish to support the government to ensure their safety,” Nipun Marya, Director Brand Strategy, Vivo India said.
Previously, Xiaomi also announced that it will donate lakhs of N95 masks to Karnataka, Punjab and Delhi government, and hazardous materials suits to a few government hospitals like AIIMS and St. Johns in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Xiaomi India head Manu Kumar Jain said, in an open letter to Mi fans, partners and colleagues, that as a responsible company, committed to our nation, it was working with all government authorities to donate protective masks and suits starting this week.
Xiaomi has also suspended all manufacturing and offline sales to comply with the 21-day lockdown in India. “Each facility such as corporate office, warehouse, service centre, Mi Home, and manufacturing plant will abide by the lockdown orders. In the meantime, we will vigilantly monitor the situation round the clock,” Xiaomi India said.
