Kansas Gov. Kelly salutes Spirit AeroSystems’ new COVID-19 ventilator operation
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly will be in Wichita on Thursday touring Spirit AeroSystems’ new assembly line making ventilators for the COVID-19 pandemic, her office announced Wednesday evening.
In a written statement, Kelly praised the company for converting part of its sprawling aircraft plant to make medical equipment.
“Spirit’s quick action to manufacture ventilators is a great example of a Kansas business that has stepped up to the plate and contributed directly in the fight against COVID-19,” Kelly said.
Spirit has been battered hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reduced worldwide demand for airplanes because of dramatically decreased air traffic.
That shock came on the heels of last year’s worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 Max after two deadly crashes overseas. Spirit makes the planes’ fuselages.
Employees have experienced thousands of layoffs and furloughs, but the ventilator side line is credited by Spirit with saving 700 jobs. Spirit diversified into that after hospitals across the country complained of an inadequate number of ventilators to deal with coronavirus cases.
“I’m looking forward to meeting the men and women who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic, to ensure that our health care workers have the medical equipment they need now and for future outbreaks,” Kelly said.
Early this week, Kelly criticized the Segwick County Commission for its hands-off approach to COVID prevention.
She pointed to a rising number of cases since the commission made all coronavirus restrictions voluntary on May 27.
On Wednesday, the commission met with county health officer Dr. Garold Minns who lectured members on disease prevention, but the commissioners decided to stick with their current course.
This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 6:24 PM.
