Apple has announced it will create face shields to protect frontline medical workers trying to fight the spread of Covid-19.

The tech giant’s CEP Tim Cook made the announcement in a video message to his social media channels. In the short clip, he sent his best wishes to those fighting the pandemic and announced a ‘company-wide effort’ to help healthcare workers get the protection they so desperately need.

The 59-year-old revealed the firm had already sourced more than 20 million masks and was in the process of designing, manufacturing, and delivering face shields.

The video was posted with the caption: “Apple is dedicated to supporting the worldwide response to Covid-19. We’ve now sourced over 20m masks through our supply chain. Our design, engineering, operations and packaging teams are also working with suppliers to design, produce and ship face shields for medical workers.”

Concluding the video, Cook says: “In both these efforts, our focus is on unique ways Apple can help meeting essential needs of caregivers urgently and at a scale the circumstances require.

“For Apple, this is a labour of love and gratitude, and we will share more of our efforts over time.

“In the meantime, each of us can stop the spread of the virus by following expert advice to stay home and practise social distancing.

“Thank you for all you’re doing to help in your own lives. Thank you again to those on the front line of this fight. Stay safe and stay healthy.”

In the meantime, no lesser figure than The Queen has said she hopes in the future people will be able to feel proud of how they acted while stressing the importance of self-discipline during the coronavirus outbreak.

Her Maj made a rare speech yesterday (Sunday 5 April) to address Brits during the pandemic and used it to acknowledge the difficulties we are facing at this time.

The Queen said: “I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time.

“A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.”

She also used the speech to praise NHS staff and other key workers for their ongoing hard-work throughout the crisis.

The Queen then thanked those who were staying inside to help slow the spread of the disease, before adding: “I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge.

“And those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.

“That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country.”