Masking COVID-19

It’s to no one’s surprise that there is a virus spreading though the world. With new concerns from the changing variants, mask mandates are starting to pick up. As international shipping slows down, small business across America are coming together to help supply personal protective equipment to civilians and corporations around the world. AKAS Textiles in Bensalem PA is doing just that: by developing their own fabrics, they had a prime opportunity to supply PPE to hospitals around the world. Development started near the end of 2020, where founder and CEO Archana Sharma worked day and night to find the best quality build for comfort and effectiveness. Soon after, their mask released. The results were amazing, sales jumped, publicity increased and more importantly families were able to protect themselves at the peak of the pandemic.

Now here’s where I come in. I have a huge interest for healthcare and have had that for a long time. Recently I found a passion for entrepreneurship, so I thought a volunteering opportunity would really allow me to explore these two fields. I spent roughly a month and half in the summer of 2021 volunteering at their headquarters, where I learned valuable lessons about running a business during a time of increased demand in the healthcare industry. I gained practical experience by helping employees with the behind the scenes of making these PPE products. In doing so I learned that there X-95 masks have proven to be about 50-75% more effective than the mass produced KN-95 masks, as they incorporate various metals like silver and zinc in them. Apart from hands on work I was able to learn about the company’s management, through their owner. In the end I really enjoyed my experience with this opportunity; I gained a lot of knowledge about the intricacy of personal protective equipment and how to efficiently distribute it across the globe. Let’s hope COVID comes to a quick end and we can get life back to normal!