KOBE―A company that manufactures and sells eyewear in the city of Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture, has launched a campaign that provides glasses free of charge to those working at medical institutions and health and welfare facilities to help prevent them from being infected with the new coronavirus.
Hoping that the campaign will contribute to easing the anxiety of those working at such places despite facing the risk of being infected by droplets, the company wants the campaign to lead to an increase in the importance of eye protection awareness.
The company named "innochi" started its campaign following the government's April 7 state of emergency declaration, suspending usual operations and embarking on the free provision of its glasses.
Given that the danger of being infected by droplets via the mucous membrane of the eye had been noted, Takashi Haitani, 45, a co-owner of the company, said he thought about protecting the eye with a lens.
As for frames, a manufacturer in the city of Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, showed understanding of the intent and purpose of the campaign, and provided them at low prices. The frames are made of soft materials recycled from plastic bottles, and thus they are comfortable to wear. The lenses, which are developed by the company on its own, incorporate a light bluish gray color to help ease the reflection of light on the eye.
On April 18 the company announced its plan to accept reservations from medical institutions and health and welfare facilities via social media. The firm initially set the number of glasses that could be reserved to a moderate 80 to gauge reactions to the campaign, but reservations from across the country reached the set number in half a day.
Matters that surprised the firm were inquiries and applications for the free glasses made one after another from people working in other diverse types of industry ― nursery teachers, firefighters and dental hygienists, just to name a few. Haitani said, "Images of people working in close proximity with others amid the risk of infection come to my mind."
The firm boosted the supply of glasses to 1,000 and extended the scope of those covered by the campaign, permitting all industry types, except those working at home, to apply for the glasses.
"We want to deliver glasses to those who applied before the end of May at the earliest," Haitani said. If the number of applicants increases, the company plans to increase production. As the company shoulders all expenses, including delivery fees, it is calling for financial support, too.
"Eyes are also said to be 'exposed organs,'" Haitani said, adding, "I hope our activity will provide a chance for people to recognize that glasses play a role in eye protection." He expressed his wish, saying, "I'll be happy if Awajishima-produced glasses can become close partners of those working hard across the country amid the plight of coronavirus infections."
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