As the coronavirus outbreak grips China and has quickly become a global health emergency, there’s a growing desire among members of the global community to help out in a meaningful way. Concerned citizens in China as well as those who are thousands of miles away are stepping up to provide support and relief to people affected by the coronavirus, together with the medical personnel who are battling to treat and contain coronavirus.
One such example is the pledge made by O’Melveny to partner with MedShare, a global humanitarian aid organization, to raise money for coronavirus relief in China. O’Melveny is an international law firm with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong as well as 12 other major cities around the world. O’Melveny chair, Bradley J. Butwin, announced that the firm will match donations from attorneys and staff for coronavirus relief efforts, up to US$100,000. With the support of O’Melveny employees around the world, the amount given to MedShare for coronavirus relief could reach US$200,000 in total.
As medical personnel are battling coronavirus in China, they have an urgent need for personal protective equipment, including face masks and gowns, for both patients who have been infected by the virus as well as medical personnel who are treating them. These supplies are essential for effectively treating patients and preventing the further spread of coronavirus.
“Doctors and nurses on the frontlines responding to the disease are overwhelmed, and they are some of the people with the highest incidence of infection,” Butwin noted in his message to employees. “The medical supplies will go a long way toward trying to keep medical personnel healthy so that they can continue the good fight, as well as helping many more in dire need of these supplies that are critically short in China as a result of extraordinary demand.”
To date, MedShare has shipped 2.6 million face masks and 80,000 isolation gowns to China and is working on additional relief efforts. As part of its disaster relief planning, MedShare works with partners throughout the year to preposition supplies so that they are on hand and can be quickly shipped to areas impacted by disasters. When disaster strikes, it’s paramount to respond quickly to provide immediate support to medical workers trying to help communities recover and get back on their feet.
Even as many workers are returning to work across mainland China, life is far from normal in heavily impacted areas, much less in Hubei province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. The magnitude of the coronavirus outbreak and the adverse effect it is having on the lives of so many people continues to weigh on the minds of people across the globe.
“As we resume work for our clients following the temporary office closures required as a result of the outbreak, we are constantly thinking of the people in Hubei province and other parts of China,” added Walker Wallace, managing partner of O’Melveny’s Shanghai office. “In these unprecedented circumstances, the selflessness and courage of so many people in China is an inspiration. We are glad to contribute in whatever way we can.”
“It’s heartening to see communities come together to lend a helping hand in times of need. We’re inspired by O’Melveny’s generosity and commitment to providing support and relief for the people most afflicted by the coronavirus outbreak,” said Charles Redding, MedShare CEO and President.
