Walmart Puerto Rico provides masks, face shields to island hospitals
Walmart Puerto Rico announced that, as part of its multiple efforts to contribute in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 on the island, it will distribute N95 masks and face shields for the protection of doctors and other health professionals in various public and private hospitals.
Viviana Mercado, senior manager of Corporate Affairs at Walmart Puerto Rico, said the company decided to distribute these items given the shortage of equipment to protect medical personnel.
“At Walmart, thousands of associates work to serve Puerto Rico and currently, our commitment to the well-being of the community is more present than ever. We’re very grateful for the work of the health staff on the front lines and we want them to be protected so that they can continue to take care of the patients,” said Mercado.
Walmart has taken safety measures to protect employees so they can continue to work through the COVID-19 emergency. In addition to installing sneeze guards at store registers, the retailer, will provide more than 375 face shields for pharmacy and vision center personnel, “those who have the most contact with our clients,” Mercado said.
Walmart Puerto Rico is also implementing a cleaning sanitizing protocol in its facilities to protect customers, including ongoing use of disinfectants in high-traffic areas and contact surfaces, requesting that it’s employees to pay special attention to hygiene, especially in key areas, and increasing supplies to clean cash registers areas and shopping carts.
Walmart backs local entrepreneurs to boost production capacity
Walmart Puerto Rico collaborated with local technology companies Tredé and Engine-4, which are producing the face shields on 3D printers that the company will provide to its pharmacy and vision center associates, and hospitals across the island.
As part of the alliance with Engine-4 and Tredé, Walmart Puerto Rico donated a 3D printer so the entrepreneurs can increase the production of protective equipment and supply the island and other markets that have requested assistance in times of high demand worldwide.
“We’re grateful to Walmart for the support to increase our capacity so we can be able to provide equipment to the front-line personnel in Puerto Rico and help meet the great need that exists at the moment,” said Luis Armando Torres, co-founder of Engine-4, who leads the production together with Tredé co-founder Vicente Gasco.
