Aerospace and defence company Paramount Group has donated 1 000 facial masks to the South Africa National Defence Force (SANDF) as part of its continued effort to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to those working on the front lines of the international fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shortages of PPE amid the crisis led to a call by government to private businesses with manufacturing capability to join forces in the fight against Covid-19 and to supply whatever products they could to help boost the medical readiness of the country.

The donation follows aeronautical engineers from Paramount Group recently teaming up with emergency doctors in Johannesburg for the design and production of innovative Intuboxes to equip and protect healthcare workers treating patients suffering from Covid-19.

Paramount Group research, development and prototyping division Paramount Labs, has assigned its technicians and engineers to prototype and manufacture additional PPE, such as facial masks, to protect South Africa’s frontline workers.

Paramount Group senior VP Eric Ichikowitz says the important role the SANDF plays during a national emergency, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, should never be taken for granted.

“It has always been the mandate of Paramount Group to develop technologies and solutions with Africa-born ingenuity to protect armed personnel in peacekeeping, police and defence force operations.”

Traditional facial masks that cover the mouth, usually made from fabric to protect the respiratory system against breathing germs in, do not prevent those same germs from entering the body through the eyes. Paramount Group’s Labs Team accordingly sought to prototype and manufacture a visor that would also protect the eyes and mouth.

Previous recipients in the company’s first few weeks of support have included, but were not limited to, the Steve Biko University of Pretoria Academic Hospital, as well as the President's office.