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BILATERAL CHAMBER MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS HELPING OTHERS
The Bilateral Chamber will continue to provide our members with relevant, timely information to help you navigate through these unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a healthcare crisis on a global scale resulting in massive shortages of medical equipment and supplies necessary to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus.
During this time of global crisis, our members and stakeholders are actively demonstrating the highest degree of social responsibility and the best of humanity by supporting their neighbors, their communities and joining the war on COVID-19. This newsletter will focus on those incredible humanitarian efforts. If you have any questions or would like to share helpful resources, please feel free to contact us at info@bilateralchamber.org.
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Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE
Taken as of April 6th, 2020 @11:25 AM CST.
To view the live update of the COVID-19 Global Cases, Click here.
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BILATERAL CHAMBER MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS
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Texas Medical Center: Houston Methodist Performs the Nation’s First Plasma Transfusion to Treat COVID-19
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fast-tracked an old treatment that doctors hope will fight this new coronavirus successfully enough to flatten the curve sooner than expected to curb mounting fatalities. After FDA clearance on March 28, 2020, Houston Methodist became the first academic medical center in the country to transfuse donated blood plasma from a fully recovered COVID-19 patient into a critically ill person—a treatment known as convalescent serum therapy.
Baton Rouge Proud: Businesses Answer Call to Donate Personal Protective Equipment for Medical Personnel
Baton Rouge businesses are answering the call to donate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical personnel during the Coronavirus pandemic. The effort was launched last Thursday. It is a collaboration between Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, East Baton Rouge Parish hospitals and healthcare partners. Several companies including Krunchy Krispy Chicken, ExxonMobil and Wanhua Chemical have donated various supplies in the wake of the national shortage of PPE.
ExxonMobil: Getting Disinfectant into the Right Hands
ExxonMobil is helping to meet demand for products like medical hand sanitizers, alcohol wipes and disinfectant sprays by manufacturing a key ingredient, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and providing it to the customers and areas that need it most. Today, ExxonMobil is actively engaged with the states of New York and Louisiana, providing IPA to help ensure continuity in the manufacture of disinfectant products for hospitals and other key community locations in need. Supplies of IPA will also continue to be shipped across the country and around the world to help combat the COVID-19 crisis.
The Dong-A Ilbo: Foreign Firms Make Donations to Help Fight COVID-19 Crisis
Aramco Korea, which is South Korean subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s energy company Aramco, donated 1 billion won to the National Disaster Relief to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and restore damage. Earlier, S-Oil, whose largest shareholder is Aramco, also donated 500 million won to help overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
Arab News: Aramco Unit Gives $2m to Help Fight Virus
A Saudi Aramco unit has given $2 million to aid the fight against the coronavirus. Aramco Trading Company donated the money to the Health Endowment Fund established by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health.
Qatar Tribune: Qatar donates 5,000 masks to Houston
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The Qatar Embassy in the US donated 5,000 protective masks. Houston Mayor’s Office thanked Qatar for the generous support.
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Paterson Times: Qatari Consul General Delivers 10,000 Surgical Masks to Paterson
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The consul general of Qatar
delivered 10,000 masks to Paterson officials on Wednesday afternoon.
Qatar, a strategic American ally in the Middle East, is donating masks
to 17 states.
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Bechtel Facebook: Bechtel Donates PPE Equipment to Hospitals and Fire Department in Texas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania
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Bechtel Corporation
posted on Facebook that it is in the process of donating roughly 7,500
N95 respirator masks to hospitals and a fire department in Texas,
Louisiana, and Pennsylvania. This included 5,000 masks to Texas Medical
Center in Houston, 1,000 masks to a Corpus Christi fire department, 500
to a local hospital in Beaver County, PA, and 1,000 around Sabine, LA. |
Bechtel Facebook: Bechtel and Antofagasta Minerals Donate PPE Equipment to Local Emergency Authorities in Chile
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Bechtel Corporation
posted on Facebook that it coordinated with Antofagasta Minerals, to
donate 800 respirators N95 from the INCO MLP project at Los Pelambres
Mine in Chile to the local emergency authorities in Los Vilos, Chile
through the regional government.
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Chevron: Chevron's Response to COVID-19 and Market Conditions
Across the company, Chevron has contributed over $7 million to response efforts with direct donations to food banks, education and health services. Examples of the donations include: $500,000 to DonorsChoose to help teachers in the highest needs schools; $430,000 to food banks in California and Texas; and $70,000 to the United Way in New Mexico. Chevron will also match qualifying donations to nonprofits made by employees and retirees two-to-one during the month of April.
Odessa American Online: Chevron Donates $230,000
Chevron is giving $230,000 across Permian Basin nonprofits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations receiving funding include the West Texas Food Bank and Eddy and Lea County United Ways.
The National: Adnoc Building in Abu Dhabi Lights up to Show Solidarity over Covid-19 Pandemic
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The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)
headquarters in Abu Dhabi has lit up to show solidarity over the
coronavirus outbreak. The skyscraper on the Corniche lit up on Friday
with the message “Stay Safe, Stay Calm, Stay Home” in nine different
languages, including Arabic, English, French, Italian and Mandarin.
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The
message, along with the number to call to help, was shared on the
Galleria Mall on Al Maryah Island, the Andaz Capital Gate building and
the Adnoc headquarters.
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ConocoPhillips
China: ConocoPhillips China Announces Second Donation to Support
Medical Workers in Hubei Province with Personal Protective Equipment
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ConocoPhillips
China (COPC) announced a second cash donation to support coronavirus
relief efforts in China. The donation included a substantial employee
contribution. COPC contributed approximately RMB 140,000. An additional
donation to the company’s former contribution to the China Soong Ching
Ling Foundation in February.
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The funds will be used to procure personal
protective equipment for Zhongshan Hospital in Wuhan. COPC employees
donated half of this amount, which the company matched. The second round
of support raises COPC’s total contribution to approximately RMB
2,140,000.
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Walsh Group Twitter: Walsh Construction and Fluor Donate N95 Respirators
The Walsh Group posted on Twitter that the Walsh Construction and Fluor Corporation’s Design-Build Team are donating 40 N95 respirators plus a large collection of masks to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. The Walsh-Fluor team is constructing the Chicago Transit Authority's Red and Purple Modernization project in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, a community served by Illinois Masonic.
Twitter: Fluor Cares Donates $5,000 to Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels
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Fort Bend Seniors posted on Twitter that Fluor Corporation’s
employee giving arm, Fluor Cares, is donating $5,000 so that Fort Bend
Senior Meals on Wheels can continue to provide meals to more than 1,300
seniors daily.
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Halliburton: Carrollton Employee’s Volunteer Group Delivers Vital Items, Hope to At-risk Elders
When Carrollton Halliburton employee Greg Danson was thinking about the coronavirus crisis facing the world, his thoughts included his wife’s 93-year-old grandmother who lives alone in Pennsylvania. That’s when an idea popped into his head. The manufacturing production group leader decided to set up a Facebook group to see if like-minded folks would join with him to help those too frail to cope on their own.
France24: France to Rapidly Ramp up Production of Face Masks and Respirators, Macron Says
France plans to quickly ramp up domestic production of face masks and respirators to respond to urgent needs of hospitals and caregivers during the coronavirus epidemic, French President Emmanuel Macron said. France's four face mask factories will also boost their combined output from 3.3 million per week before the start of the crisis to 10 million per week by end April, and production by new players such as car parts maker Faurecia, tyre maker Michelin and retailer Intermarché will push total output to 15 million per week, Macron said. Macron said a consortium led by respirator maker Air Liquide and including car parts maker Valeo, car maker PSA and Schneider Electric, will produce some 10,000 ventilators by mid-May.
Arizona Central: Honeywell Hiring 500 in Phoenix to Help Manufacture N95 Masks for Coronavirus Fight
Honeywell is hiring at its Phoenix facility to increase production of high-filtration N95 face masks and personal protective equipment to help in the fight against the new coronavirus.
Honeywell: N95 Masks and the Coronavirus: More Production Underway
To address growing demand for masks during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, Honeywell is quickly ramping up production and making millions of the N95 masks in the United States. Our Rhode Island facility already produces industry-leading safety gear and soon will play a critical role in supplying the Strategic National Stockpile with N95 masks.
Emerson: Emerson Ramps Up Face Mask Production with Branson Ultrasonic Bonding
As the United States continues to deal with COVID-19, the disease caused by the most recent Coronavirus pandemic, one theme has run through all media outlets — the looming shortage of face masks and other nonwoven protective medical gear including gowns and boots that doctors and nurses need to safely treat patients. The urgent need has numerous manufacturers stepping up to increase production. One example is Emerson’s Branson — its customers use its ultrasonic technology to manufacture these non-woven garments quickly, safely and cleanly.
Apache Corp: Apache's Response to COVID-19
Apache remains committed to supporting local communities. Apache has donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to support healthcare workers on the front lines and provided supplies to the Houston Food Bank to help care for families during this time of need.
Houston Chronicle: Baker Hughes Retasks 3D Printers to Make Anti-coronavirus Gear
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Houston oilfield service company Baker Hughes
is joining the ranks of manufacturers using spare or idled 3D printers
to make protective gear to for health care workers on the front lines of
the coronavirus pandemic.
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Power Magazine: Eaton Helps Build China Field Hospitals in Battle Against Coronavirus
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Power management company Eaton
and its partner electrical contractors and distributors recently
completed a construction project to build two new field hospitals in
Wuhan, China. The project delivered an additional 2,500 hospital beds to
the region, which has been considered ground zero for the COVID-19
global pandemic.
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China Daily: Overseas Firm Helps Nation in Virus Battle
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International SOS,
the world's leading medical and travel security assistance company, is
participating in efforts across China to contain the spread of the novel
coronavirus. Following the outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province,
International SOS－which has headquarters in Singapore and London－donated
many protective supplies, including 20,000 surgical masks, to the city.
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To help battle the epidemic, International SOS created a website that
provides updates on the situation in China and around the world－sections
are open to the public and over 20 multilingual free webinars are
available for companies to download.
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Air Products: Coronavirus: What Air Products is doing
The Air Products Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant, approximately 700,000 renminbi, to assist COVID-19 recovery efforts in China, on top of an earlier donation of 500,000 renminbi, approximately $70,000, made by Air Products China to the Red Cross in China to support the most urgent medical care needs. In addition, Air Products Korea has donated KRW 100 million (equivalent to US 84,000 dollars) to the non-profit organization Community Chest of Korea to help fight against the outbreak. In addition, Air Products has continued to deliver needed medical liquid oxygen and helium to hospitals. Where appropriate, Air Products are also working with government authorities to share its knowledge and expertise in the supply chain of medical gases.
Jacobs: Statement from Jacobs Chair and CEO Steve Demetriou on COVID-19 Actions
Jacobs is donating $1 million towards the COVID-19 crisis to help global organizations on the frontline of fighting this pandemic, including an employee matching program for local efforts. Its field teams around the world engaged in operations and maintenance, decommissioning and decontamination activities are donating surplus masks, gloves and other supplies to local hospitals.
Khudairi Group: Takes Precautions to Protect Customers From COVID-19 Spread
According to a statement by Mr. Aziz Khudairi, Khudairi Group CEO and Chairman, the Khudairi Group is equipping all its facilities with proper PPE and taking all precautions to ensure long-term protection for its team and customers to mitigate risks associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Guidry Group: Donates 20,000 Surgical Masks to Harris County Sheriff’s Office
The Guidry Group, a Texas based company, recently donated 20,000 surgical masks to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “We have a long standing relationship with law enforcement, especially in Texas,” says Michael Guidry, President & CEO. “It’s the least we could do to help in their time of need. We will continue to assist them in any way we can.”
Hartford Courant: UTC No More: Merger with Raytheon Set for Friday, Ending 45-year-old Conglomerate Headquartered in Connecticut
Separately, Greg Hayes, UTC’s chief executive officer, appeared at the White House with other CEOs and announced that UTC last week donated 90,000 pieces of personal protective equipment to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will deliver nearly 1 million developed with its global supply chain, he said. In addition, UTC is set to manufacture as many as 10,000 face shields in the next four weeks. It will use additive manufacturing to make the equipment, he said.
The Register: Oracle Makes Some Certifications and Cloud Content Free
Oracle will offer free training and learning material during the coronavirus lockdown. The database giant's training division, Oracle University, said it will make all its content and certifications, including more than 50 hours of online training and six certificate exams, free until May 15. The courses include material for Oracle's Cloud Infrastructure and Autonomous Database systems, as well as more general courses around data science, machine learning, and multi-cloud environments, such as integration with Microsoft Azure. Big Red had already made some of its courses free to developers in February, but is now opening up to all users.
Oracle: Oracle Therapeutic Learning System Records Effectiveness of COVID-19 Drugs
For the last several weeks, Oracle has been actively engaged in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. Their primary goal has been to develop and deploy a series of cloud applications that will gather the data necessary to enable health professionals to answer one critical question: What drugs are effective in treating or preventing the COVID-19 virus? In addition to gathering data from COVID-19 clinical trials, Oracle has built and donated to the US government a COVID-19 Therapeutic Learning System that allows physicians and patients to record the effectiveness of promising COVID-19 drug therapies.
CNBC: Google Offers Free Wi-Fi and Chromebooks to Students
Google will offer 100,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots and will donate 4,000 Chromebooks to students across the state of California, governor Gavin Newsom said during a news conference. The internet access points are supposed to help improve broadband internet in rural households across the state where internet access is either limited or very slow. Students will get access to the free Wi-Fi for a minimum of three months.There are still many parts of the state that do not have access to high-speed internet, however.
CNBC: Amazon Hires 80,000 New Workers
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Dave Clark, who runs Amazon’s
retail operations, said the company will start taking employees’
temperatures when they report to work and supply them with face masks.
The company also gave an update on its efforts to add warehouse workers
and delivery drivers.
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Last month, Amazon said it would hire an
additional 100,000 workers amid a surge in online orders due to the
coronavirus outbreak. Clark said Amazon has already hired more than
80,000 people into these roles and has spent more than $150 million to
support workers, reflecting its efforts to raise pay by $2 per hour.
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GeekWire: Microsoft, Amazon and Others Form $2.5M Coronavirus Response Fund
Microsoft, Amazon, and other Seattle-area companies are partnering with nonprofits and governments to launch a relief fund in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The COVID-19 Response Fund will provide grants to organizations helping at-risk populations, like workers who can’t take sick leave, people without health insurance, and healthcare workers. It is launching with more than $2.5 million in donations from its founding partners.
Windows Central: Microsoft Will Donate 240,000 Surgical Masks and 30,000 Box Lunches to Help People During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Microsoft will donate 240,000 surgical masks, 35,000 hand sanitizers, 30,000 box lunches, and additional medical supplies to people in the Puget Sound area this week. The donations will help people affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Microsoft's President, Brad Smith, shared the details of the donations on Twitter.
The Charlotte Weekly: Donations push COVID-19 Response Fund to Nearly $13.5M
Professional services firm Ernst & Young (EY) and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation – the primary grantmaking arm of Foundation For The Carolinas – each committed $250,000, raising total donations to nearly $13.5 million.
Houston Business Journal: Houston-based Beauty Co. Producing Hand Sanitizer, Soap to Fight Coronavirus
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Farouk Systems, Inc.,
the parent
company of beauty brands such as CHI and BioSilk, is
pivoting to
produce hand sanitizer, some of which will be donated to the
city of
Houston and the city of Tomball.
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