Nike is continuing to do its part in combating coronavirus by announcing that it has begun manufacturing personal protective equipment for front line healthcare workers.
The Swoosh has worked closely with health professionals at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to develop equipment that’s made with materials generally used to create its sneakers and apparel on its full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator lenses.
“Without proper facial protection, healthcare workers are at a higher risk of contracting the virus, which could place substantial strain on the healthcare workforce in the months ahead,” says Miko Enomoto, M.D., associate professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine, OHSU School of Medicine. “The full-face shields help protect healthcare workers’ faces and also help to prolong the length we can safely use a surgical or N95 mask. Nike’s generous response to the COVID-19 crisis helps to instill an added layer of confidence and support for healthcare workers, that we can safely carry out the jobs we were born to do.”
The air-purifying respirator lenses and full-face shields will be provided to health systems in the region of Nike’s World Headquarters including Providence, Legacy Health Systems and Kaiser Permanente, and many others across the state of Oregon.
Previously, Nike has announced that its top executives have donated more than $15 million that’s distributed into charities in Oregon.