Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said his company has the capacity to produce ventilators if hospitals in the United States lack respiratory aids due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. When a Tesla owner contacted Musk on Twitter asking him to repurpose the automaker's factories to make fans, he replied that he would if there were a shortage, saying: "Fans aren't hard, but they can't be produced instantly. Which hospitals are suffering from this shortage right now?" According to NBC, the American Hospital Association recently warned that there were a limited number of ventilators and urged the public to practice social distancing.
essential businesses
While Musk said Tesla's factories could be repurposed to make fans in the event of a shortage, the factories are still operating despite the shutdown to meet consumer demand for its electric vehicles. However, the Alameda County sheriff recently told the company that its auto business is not an "essential business" like grocery stores or hospitals. However, Tesla will be allowed to continue "operations based on the minimum in accordance with the Alameda County health order." BuzzFeed News also said the company is able to operate on a quarter of its usual workforce during the coronavirus outbreak. To help workers practice social distancing, Tesla's Fremont, California plant will temporarily reduce its workforce from 10,000 to 2,500 people. If the situation in the United States continues to deteriorate, expect other companies to be called upon to contribute to the government's efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. via ZDNet