Bono helps Ireland to obtain urgent coronavirus medical supplies

Bono has lent a helping hand to Ireland as the country scrambles to obtain urgent coronavirus medical supplies.

• Read more: Coronavirus: every cancelled gig, festival and tour – and how to get your ticket refund

The U2 frontman has been busy reaching out to the likes of South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, and corporate titans such as Apple’s Tim Cook, in the hope that they can assist him in finding personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies for Ireland’s health service.

Moon’s office tweeted that it had received a letter from Bono and that the president’s spokesman, Kang Min-suk, would respond in writing.

The ‘With or Without You’ singer met South Korea’s president last December after performing in the country.

South Korea makes PPE and other medical materials that many countries are seeking in order to combat the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to Moon and the Apple CEO, Bono has contacted Doug McMillon of Walmart, Marc Benioff of the software giant Salesforce, and Jack Ma, the head of the Chinese retailer Alibaba.

“I just don’t think this is the moment for U2 to be doing a sort of Kumbaya thing. It just doesn’t feel right for me – it feels like a time for action rather than words,” Bono told the Irish Times.

Last month, Ireland’s finance minister, Paschal Donohoe, contacted Bono to enlist him for a collaboration that last week obtained supplies from China.

Ireland is expected to pass 10,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the next day or two. It has recorded 334 deaths.

Elsewhere, U2 has pledged to donate €10m (£8.7m) to support healthcare workers in Ireland.

Meanwhile, in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, festivals and concerts will likely not return until autumn next year, an American healthcare expert has predicted.

In a recent roundtable discussion, hosted and transcribed by the New York Times, bioethicist and professor of healthcare management Zeke Emanuel said he has “no idea” how promoters that are rescheduling arts and music events for later this year “think that’s a plausible possibility.”

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