Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots organization are doing their part to help slow the spread of COVID-19. According to Andrew Beaton the Wall Street Journal, the Patriots loaned one of their private team planes to deliver 1.2 million masks to the United States. The plane left China at 3:38 AM on Wednesday and will reportedly land at Logan International Airport on Thursday with the vital supplies.
New England Patriots Organization Help Deliver Over 1 Million Masks
According to Beaton, the plane initially touched down in China early Wednesday morning. Beaton reports that, in order to contain the spread of the disease, the entire crew had to remain on board throughout the duration of the loading process. Additionally, the plane was only allowed to stay on the ground for a maximum of three hours. They played it close to the wire, but all of the masks were reportedly loaded in two hours and 57 minutes.
Obviously, this is far more than your typical transaction of supplies. Thanks to the high demand for these specialized masks, making this type of transaction involves “not just tracking down goods, but also tapping intermediaries and calling in favors to navigate a dense global bureaucracy that the pandemic has virtually paralyzed.”
After coordinating with countless organizations for a week, China finally approved of the plane coming over to collect the masks. Kraft, a lifelong businessman, said that he’s “never seen so much red tape…and obstacles that we had to overcome.” Fortunately for all, Kraft and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts eventually overcame said hurdles and will deliver the much-needed medical supplies to the heroes working tirelessly to keep the country safe from the ongoing pandemic. Kraft went on to say that “those of us who are fortunate enough to make a difference have a significant responsibility to do so with all the assets we have available to us”.
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