Barcelona to donate masks to help fight COVID-19

Barcelona has decided to joins hands with the Catalonia government in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak and will provide masks so that people can wear them and stay safe from the deadly virus. The masks are set to be supplied to nursing homes so that doctors and nurses can make use of them to treat the patients.

Madrid, March 28 Barcelona has decided to joins hands with the Catalonia government in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak and will provide masks so that people can wear them and stay safe from the deadly virus. The masks are set to be supplied to nursing homes so that doctors and nurses can make use of them to treat the patients.

In a statement issued by the club, it said: "The club has put itself at the service of the health authorities to help to fulfill and enforce all its instructions, recommendations and orders to combat contagion of the virus and alleviate its effects as much as possible."

Earlier, Barcelona became the first Spanish football club to officially announce a pay cut for players and club staff as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. Sports in Spain has come to a standstill and Barcelona had to make the move so as to pay their support staff.

"Faced with this scenario, the Board of Directors has decided to implement a series of measures to mitigate its effects and reduce the economic effects of this crisis," said the club in its statement.

"Among the measures adopted, it's worth noting those related to the workplace are motivated by the need to adapt the contractual obligations of the club staff to the new and temporary circumstances that we are experiencing."

The club added the measures include "a reduction of the working day, imposed by the circumstances and the protection measures carried out, and, as a consequence, the proportional reduction of the remuneration provided for in the respective contracts."

The measure should lower the club's wage bill by around 25 percent at a moment when it is not receiving any income through gate receipts.

( With inputs from IANS )