Part 1 Part 2
We finally had a chance for the household to go ahead and make some shields.
Fortunately the masks are easy to clean.
We finally had a chance for the household to go ahead and make some shields.
Cleanliness
This was tricky, I don't have gloves, but do have a face mask each that covers our mouths and noses. So, I would not count these masks as sterile and as such have been careful to pass on that information to recipients.
So we had frequent hand washes and (for what its worth) baby wipes to wipe down the plastic that gets a bit of a dirty residue from the smoke produced during cutting.
Fortunately the masks are easy to clean.
Finding Recipients
While waiting for the laser cutter to do its thing (about 8 mins / shield) there was plenty of time to open up Google Maps and search on care homes nearby. I emailed (where there was an email address on the website) or otherwise phoned a total of 5 homes within walking distance.
One asked for 12 on the phone and was very grateful as they had no face shields at all. Another said the same on email (yesterdays delivery). And already we have two more deliveries to make tomorrow to care homes and GP surgeries. There is clearly a huge demand here in the UK.
Although it seems that hospitals are the main focus and care homes and GP surgeries have rather been left to fend for themselves. So I feel that providing them with masks, fits both my small scale of production and a need that if it reduces infections will lighten the hospital load at the front end.
What Next?
The next step is to find a cheaper source of material than eBay! and find out if there is a better way to distribute.Although it seems that hospitals are the main focus and care homes and GP surgeries have rather been left to fend for themselves. So I feel that providing them with masks, fits both my small scale of production and a need that if it reduces infections will lighten the hospital load at the front end.
1 comment:
Hi, I don't know if your supply situation is exactly the same in the UK, but here in Minnesota, USA our genious governor decided "non emergency" dentistry was not critical, and so dentists have had a hard time getting protective equipment, even when needed for emergency work. My brother is a dentist, and he was happy to have a couple commercial face shields I had around. So, youmight ask local dentists if they need any.
Thanks for your informative blogs and posts. I have several of your books, and paerticularly like the last edition of Practical Electronics for Inventors that you also worked on. I have been cobnsidering using it as an Electronic Engeinnring Technology Text, as it covers so many things so well. In a few places I think the math presentation gets fairly involved for that type of book, but maybe that iwll encourage students to stretch some as far as thier math skills go- always an issue in the last few years!
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