On Sunday, the 60-year-old took to Twitter to confirm he had “procured” at least 10,000 N95 masks, which will be given to Indiana’s Department of Health. The N95 masks are respiratory masks that are used by both doctors and nurses treating patients affected by COVID-19 and have been in short supply.

Last week, approximately 1.2 million masks were brought to the U.S. from China on the New England Patriots team plane before being distributed to healthcare workers in Massachusetts and Patriots owner Robert Kraft purchased a further 300,000 masks to provide aid to Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York. Last Sunday, former NBA star Stephon Marbury revealed he had organised for 10 million N95 masks to be delivered from China to healthcare workers in New York City.

Irsay’s donation didn’t go unnoticed and Indiana’s Department of Health thanked the Colts owner on Twitter. Procuring the masks isn’t the first time he’s helped out Indiana since the pandemic broke.

Last month, he donated $1 million to the Gleaners Food Bank in Indianapolis and raised over $200,000 in less than 24 hours after challenging Colts fans to donate to a fund set up to deliver relief boxes to help children whose parents have lost their jobs because of the virus.

Since the pandemic began, the NFL has committed over $35 million to the COVID-19 relief efforts, which included donations from owners, teams and players and $3.4 million from the NFL Foundation.

As of Monday morning, almost 338,000 cases have been reported in the U.S., by far the highest tally in the world. More than 9,600 deaths have been recorded in the U.S. and over 17,500 people have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University, which has been tracking the outbreak using combined data sources.

Indiana has reported over 4,400 cases and over 120 deaths.

Over 69,500 people have died globally since the outbreak of coronavirus began in Wuhan, a city located in China’s central Hubei province, late last year. There have been over 1.2 million confirmed cases globally, with almost 263,000 recoveries.

Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub. Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste. Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.

Medical advice

Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms. Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people. If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance. Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease. Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.

Mask and glove usage

Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing. Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning. Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask. Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask. Do not reuse single-use masks. Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves. The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.