A company in Porto produces about 1000 surgical masks daily to protect municipal employees, who are in contact with the public, from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The initiative arose out of the desire of a businessman from Campanhã who, in a cooperation project with Porto City Hall, redirected his production unit to respond to the shortage of protective equipment against the infection.

In just one day, the businessman obtained the appropriate raw material, repurposed the production unit and placed his 20 employees on a mask production line. Around 1,000 masks are already being produced per day, but it is possible that this capacity will increase.

With this production unit, the municipality can guarantee access to protective equipment without having to resort to the market where prices are already highly inflated. All surplus material will be distributed to firefighters, civil defence professionals and charitable institutions. It is also being planned the possibility of this same production unit to produce personal protective equipment for hospitals in the event they are out of stock.

 

[Photo ©Miguel Nogueira/CMPorto]