The Big Apple will start producing its own coronavirus test kits, one of the major “breakthroughs” Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday in the city’s battle against the bug. De Blasio also announced the city is ramping up local production of personal protective equipment including face shields and surgical gowns. Eight firms at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Manhattan are making face shields for health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus battle. The next goal will be to produce 620,000 face shields a week. “For the first time with something as important as face shields we’re going to say we’re self-sufficient,” de Blasio said.

Source: The Local April 14, 2020 15:54 UTC