New England Patriots’ Plane Delivering Over A Million N95 Masks From China To United States

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The New England Patriots’ team plane flew to China to pick up over a million N95 masks to bring back to the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Pats’ Boeing 767 departed from Shenzhen, China with 1.2 million masks onboard at 3:38 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1, the Journal reported. The masks will be used in the fight against the coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker struck a deal for the masks but had no way of transporting them back to the United States until Patriots team president Jonathan Kraft provided the team’s plane, according to the Journal.

The masks are part of the medical-grade equipment that has been in short supply for health care workers and first responders.

“No days off. Thanks to some serious teamwork, Massachusetts is set to receive over 1 million N95 masks for our front-line workers,” tweeted Baker. “Huge thanks to the Krafts and several dedicated partners for making this happen.”

No days off. Thanks to some serious teamwork, Massachusetts is set to receive over 1 million N95 masks for our front-line workers. Huge thanks to the Krafts and several dedicated partners for making this happen. pic.twitter.com/ieV6XMC5Ow

— Charlie Baker (@MassGovernor) April 2, 2020

300,000 out of the 1.2 million masks were pledged to the state of New York, which currently has the most COVID-19 cases in the United State. Massachusetts has over 7,700 coronavirus disease cases.

“It is an honor for our family to be a part of this humanitarian mission,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “We knew that purchasing greatly-needed N95 masks and providing the Patriots plane to expedite their delivery to local hospitals would immediately help protect our courageous healthcare professionals. Multiple organizations across the public and private sectors, all of which were in lockstep with Governor Charlie Baker’s visionary leadership, worked together to execute this mission with the purpose of helping save lives.

New England’s plane required upgrades for international travel along with a waiver to avoid a 14-day quarantine in China that was granted provided the 767’s crew did not leave the aircraft, reported to the Journal.

“I’ve never seen so much red tape in so many ways and obstacles that we had to overcome,” said Robert Kraft, according to the Journal. “In today’s world, those of us who are fortunate to make a difference have a significant responsibility to do so with all the assets we have available to us.”

“The plane was permitted to be on the ground in China for a maximum of three hours,” wrote the Journal. “The crew was required to stay on the plane while a ground crew loaded the cargo. It took 2 hours and 57 minutes.”

New England’s plane is expected to land at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday.

Coronavirus Resources

• Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.
• What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
• What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
• Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
• The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.
• Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?

How Do I Prevent It?

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The CDC does not recommend wearing a face mask respirator to protect yourself from coronavirus unless a healthcare professional recommends it.

How To Get Help

If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.

Additional Resources

If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.