Ferrari takes humanitarian approach to COVID-19 aid

ITALIAN supercar-maker Ferrari has stepped up to the plate in the fight against the COVID-19 virus after announcing it will fund a series of initiatives in and around its home town of Maranello.

Four main programs have been selected by executives, with the almost €2million ($A3.42m) of funding coming courtesy of chairman John Elkann, CEO Louis Camilleri and board of directors all pledging their full compensation from April to the end of the year while the senior management team is donating 25 per cent worth of their salaries for the same period.

Aside from Maranello, the other two major centres benefitting from Ferrari’s efforts are Fiorano and Formigine with the initiatives themselves revolving around the supply of much needed equipment (medical, education) and food.

The first of these being rolled out is the purchasing of COVID-19 test kits and diagnostic equipment for the Policlinico di Modena and other hospitals in Baggiovara and Sassuolo.

The tests in question are of the serological and molecular kind, designed to provide rapid results (less than eight hours), making them pivotal in the stopping the spread of the coronavirus through early detection.

On a grander scale, a new emergency medical service vehicle will be donated to the Local Health Authority of Modena and made available to the AVAP of Maranello for emergency callouts in the local area.

No details as to what kind of vehicle or when it will be handed over have been released, although it is highly unlikely to be a vehicle from Ferrari’s own line-up.

On the education front, batches of notebooks, tablets and portable modems will be distributed to both primary and secondary school across Maranello, Fiorano and Formigine to cater for remote learning and facilitate online lessons.

In an added bonus for the schools, they will be able to keep all of the devices once the pandemic is over.

Closer to home, an undisclosed amount of funding has also been allocated to the purchase of food and other essential items for struggling families directly impacted but COVID-19.

“Further initiatives will be confirmed in the region over the coming weeks,” the brand said in a statement.

These local, community level initiatives are in addition to its parent company FCA’s group operations producing ventilators and respirator parts around the world.