Apna Mask: StartUpVsCOVID initiative sees brand participation

Doing their bit to spread awareness about COVID-19 precautions, brands don masks on logos, helping Apna Mask initiative garner visibility.

In the initial days of the COVID-19, the panic got citizens to buy and use best quality masks. Those who could afford them were rushing to buy N95 surgical masks, which are actually meant for healthcare workers. The fear was causing them to inadvertently cause unavailability of these masks for those who actually needed it for protection and survival.

In his address to the nation on April 14, Prime Minister Modi had stressed on the importance of using homemade masks. State governments have also made it mandatory for citizens to use a mask in public spaces.

These factors prompted StartUpVsCOVID, a startup community with over 1000 members to start the Apna Mask initiative, going live with #ApnaDeshApnaMask on social media.

And then came brands

Brands such as Zomato, Urban Company, Swiggy, Dunzo, Red Bus, Big Basket, Yatra, Goibibo, MakeMyTrip and ixigo have tweaked their logos, adding a mask as a visual element to support the initiative. By doing so, the brands are leveraging their powers of visibility, pitching in for the cause.

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Don't horde masks!

The aim of the initiative is to support the government in spreading awareness around the importance of wearing a homemade mask and maintaining hygiene. One of the most important aspects being touched upon is to ensure that people don't horde masks that the medical community needs the most.

Rajan Anandan of Sequoia India, Vijay Shekhar Sharma of Paytm, Alok Mittal of Indifi, Vishal Gondal of GOQii, Jasminder Singh Gulati of Nowfloats are some of the persons associated with the initiative. They, along with many others, have taken to social media, pledging that they would wear homemade masks if and when they have to step out of their homes.

“#ApnaDeshApnaMask is one of our flagship initiatives to fight the war against coronavirus. We are encouraging everyone to utilize homemade masks, wash hands and sanitize regularly while surgical masks and N95 respirators are saved for healthcare workers,” said Alok Mittal, Founder of Indifi Technologies and a volunteer of #ApnaDeshApnaMask initiative.