Houston receives face masks with help of network

A Texas-China network is helping secure face masks to fight the novel coronavirus in the Houston area.

The George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations, or the Bush China Foundation, in Houston and the Sino-US Cooperation (Beijing) Center have secured donations of nearly 100,000 masks through the Bush China Foundation’s Coronavirus Action Network, or CAN, for the city of Houston, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, the Methodist Hospital and Medical Bridges.

The first shipment of 97,000 masks was delivered last week, said Robbin Goodman, director of business programs and corporate affairs at the Bush China Foundation.

CAN, launched by the Bush China Foundation in January, helped to secure personal protective equipment, or PPE, to help China fight the virus when the pandemic was centered in Wuhan.

But as the coronavirus began to spread in the United States, CAN members, such as the SinoUS Cooperation (Beijing) Center, worked to procure additional PPE for communities in the US, Goodman said.

The donated masks were purchased and donated by three companies: Asia & America Consultants Ltd; the China Prospect Education Group and Shenzhen Youhua Technology Co Ltd. The masks are earmarked primarily for rural area clinics and charitable hospitals and are part of a series of support from China.

‘Common humanity’

Neil Bush, the chairman of the Bush China Foundation, said the foundation is grateful for the generosity of its Chinese friends.

“We share a common humanity, and the willingness to help support communities around the globe in times of need reflects the values that are consistent with my father’s life-long service to others, and consistent with the values that underpin the relationship between the US and China,” he said.

Bush pointed out that from March 1 through April 8, more than 525 million masks and 195 million gloves had been imported from China.

“China continues to be a reliable trading partner for our country during this time of need. Infectious diseases know no borders. To fight this pandemic, to get our city and our country going again, it is critical that people from across the globe find our common humanity ... and that we work together,” Bush said.

Separately, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said: “The Bush family is an integral part of the Houston community. Time and time again they step up when their hometown needs them, and we value their generous donation at a time when our city is dealing with a public health crisis.”

The city of Houston received about 25,000 masks as part of the donation.

Turner said the gift is timely because Houston began its “Mask Up” campaign last week, and mask-wearing in public places became mandatory on Monday.

The donated masks will be distributed to vulnerable communities to make sure everyone has access to them.