MSA, Highmark, AHN bringing 65K protective masks to Pittsburgh

Thousands of protective masks are being shipped to Pittsburgh to help support the region’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Sunday.

MSA Safety Inc. has partnered with Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network to secure a shipment of 65,000 N95 protective masks to the region.

Such masks have become critical resources during the coronavirus outbreak, and they remain in short supply, MSA said in a statement.

MSA manufactures and supplies safety products for workers who may be exposed to hazardous or life-threatening situations.

“MSA recognizes the critical importance of personal protective equipment as we work together with health care providers in their efforts to mitigate the spread of covid-19,” said Mark Deasy, a company spokesperson. “In that spirit, we are very pleased to donate our complete U.S. allotment of these masks to the local Pittsburgh medical community.”

Highmark and AHN officials said they will collaborate with a group of chief medical officers at other local hospitals to develop a distribution strategy for the masks. They will work with Allegheny County leaders to assess and support the needs of first responders, emergency medical services and other health care providers, the MSA statement said. That will be done under the direction of Dr. Donald Whiting, AHN’s chief medical officer.

“Personal protective equipment, such as N95 masks, are essential to protecting health care providers on the front lines of this public health crisis,” Whiting said. “We are extremely grateful to MSA Safety for stepping up to help us meet this challenge, and look forward to making sure the equipment is distributed in a manner that best serves the community’s needs.”