Italy's Santini for decades has produced cycling kits, but has modified its Bergamo factory for face masks to help stop the spread of Coronavirus.

The clothing company makes gear for top teams like Trek-Segafredo. However, at the center of the epidemic in Italy, it had to stop clothing production.

"There is a lot of fear around because people do not really understand what's going on. They're afraid because this virus can affect pretty much everyone and I think the worst thing is that you can be affected but not have any symptoms," marketing director Paola Santini said.

"Since this week, the government arrangement's basically forced all the non useful businesses to shut down. Of course, cycling clothing is not considered the most useful thing at the moment.

"So we kept open only because we turned our production completely around to make protected face masks, we are also developing kits for the doctors.

"We have already developed three to four masks, which are now being tested in the Politecnico in Milan. It's a learning process for us because making face masks, protective face masks for doctors, is a completely different thing. But we are becoming experts."

Santini has now been receiving calls from around the country for its masks, but its being forced to make tough decisions.

She added, "It's really difficult to be in this kind of situation because obviously everyone needs the masks and you're trying to do your best to give it to give the mask to everyone. But of course it takes time."