Vale´s first batch of 286,000 N95 masks arrives in Brazil

A cargo plane, chartered by Vale, landed at Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo, on Saturday, at around 11 PM. This first shipment of 286,000 N95 masks are the first out of a total of 2.54 million acquired and donated by the company to the Brazilian government. The last of the shipments will arrive in May. The N95 mask are the most effective for health care personnel when exposed to environments contaminated by the new coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2), which causes the covid-19.

Besides the N95 masks, there are 3.16 million disposable surgical masks in the shipment, along with 216,000 gloves; 450,100 aprons; and 2,250 protective goggles, making a total of just over 4.1 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE). All PPE will be donated to the Brazilian government, which will distribute them to health units throughout the country.

In total, Vale will bring more than 600 tons of equipment to help combat the spread of the virus in Brazil over the month of May. There are 15.8 million PPE and 5 million coronavirus rapid test kits coming, made possible through the company’s logistical help in China, a country with which it has partnered for almost 50 years. Furthermore, there is equipment - between PPEs and kits - that will be delivered to regions where Vale operates. In all, 14 aircraft are being used, including 12 cargo planes and two airliners.

The flight that arrived yesterday in Guarulhos left early Saturday from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, in Guangdong province. This was the first of 12 cargo aircraft Vale has chartered. The previous two planes were airliners. They arrived on March 30 and last Thursday April 8th. So far, the company has delivered 1.5 million rapid test kits and just over 5 million pieces of protective equipment to the Brazilian government for health professionals. All purchases made by Vale in China strictly follow the recommendations and technical specifications of the Ministry of Health.

“Vale offers this help to Brazilian society at a time when the country is united for the health and safety of its people. We are using our logistics network in Asia to bring to Brazil supplies that can make a difference in people’s lives,” says Vale’s CEO, Eduardo Bartolomeo.