Hong Kong actor Louis Koo distributes 1.3 million face masks to the needy

This is a week after he gave away 20,000 masks for veteran actors who were struggling to procure masks.

Jason Fan | February 21, 2020, 06:54 PM

Hong Kong actor Louis Koo has done it again.

According to The Malay Mail, a week after giving out 20,000 face masks to entertainment industry veterans, the 48-year-old actor managed to procure an additional 1.3 million face masks.

They will be distributed in Hong Kong, amidst the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak.

Priority will be given for vulnerable groups

The Malay Mail reported via lifestyle magazine Sky Post that the announcement was made by Koo's charity foundation on Feb. 20.

500,000 face masks will be distributed first, with priority given for people with disabilities, low income families, children with special needs and senior citizens.

At a separate media event, Koo said that his business, a Cantonese cuisine restaurant in Causeway Bay, was also affected by the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak.

The actor said that he had temporarily closed his restaurant until early March, and his employees will be given paid leave.

Koo's effort outstripped that of Joshua Wong and Li Ka-shing

Koo is not the only one making charitable gestures in Hong Kong using face masks, although he is by far the most generous so far.

On Feb. 11, CNN reported that prominent activist Joshua Wong's political party Demosisto has imported 100,000 masks from the U.S. to Hong Kong.

Wong said that the masks will be delivered to councillors to help underprivileged sectors, especially poor people, street cleaners and the elderly.

 

Li Ka-shing too

Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing also announced on Feb. 17 that he will distribute 250,000 masks to the needy in Hong Kong, via his charity.

South China Morning Post reported that the masks will be distributed through 13 social welfare organisations and six homes for the elderly.

The charity will also source for protective clothing and N95 masks for public hospitals, amidst a fast depleting supply of medical equipment supplies.

SCMP reported that as of Feb. 15, Hong Kong's public hospitals only had a stock of 18 million medical masks and 2.2 million sets of protective clothes remaining, which is sufficient for just about one month for medical staff.

Top image from Louis Koo's Facebook.