Project Runway’s Christian Siriano to help supply New York hospitals with vital masks
Amid dire shortages of surgical masks – vital for frontline medics – designer Christian Siriano has vowed to manufacture them for New York state. (John Lamparski/Getty Images/Screen capture via Instagram)
In today’s edition of celebrity activism that does a lot more good than singing “Imagine” for no ungodly reason, designer Christian Siriano has vowed to help manufacture masks for New York state hospitals.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the former Project Runway winner and his team will sew surgical face masks to curb shortages amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Siriano reached out to the lawmaker to offer his services as confirmed COVID-19 cases soared to more than 7,000.
‘If Andrew Cuomo says we need masks my team will help make some’.
New York hospitals and doctors say they are critically low on face masks and other gear to protect health care workers from the virus, igniting Cuomo to plead for suppliers on Twitter.
NY has a critical need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including gloves, gowns and masks — as well as ventilators.
If you have or can make any of these supplies, New York is buying. Please email [email protected].
Help us share this far and wide! pic.twitter.com/ButFM0D3bD
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 20, 2020
“If Andrew Cuomo says we need masks my team will help make some,” the 34-year-old wrote on Twitter in response to the governor’s call to action.
We're in contact with @CSiriano. Appreciate his help so much.
Who's next?
Let's do this together, NY! https://t.co/4B43SKguVO— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 20, 2020
“I have a full sewing team still on staff working from home that can help.”
“Thank you,” Cuomo replied, “please follow back and we will DM you.”
Later that day, Cuomo confirmed he was in contact with Siriano.
“Appreciate his help so much,” he added, “who’s next?
“Let’s do this together, NY!”
Designer Christian Siriano: ‘It is not for fashion, it’s to help people.’
Siriano documented tireless staffers darning a potential prototype of the vital N95 masks.
The masks are a lifeline for health care professionals, where simple sneezes and coughs can expose medics who are constructing care and tests to the virus.
We will be making a few versions of this in order to help as many people as we can. Here is the process so we can get a perfect fit. More to come thank you everyone we hope to get these to the right people ASAP pic.twitter.com/Pow7H4D0xT— Christian Siriano (@CSiriano) March 20, 2020
The US has around 13 million of the masks in stock, but federal officials warned that more than a billion are needed over the next six months.
This lack of protective gear is imperilling the ability of workers to fight the coronavirus, as doctors and nurses report severe shortages of supplies.
Siriano made clear in a series of Instagram stories that, as a result, these masks won’t exactly be haute couture.
“Guys, these will be very simple,” he stressed in one Instagram story.
“It is not for fashion, it’s to help people.”
