Good News Worth Sharing: Scientists Have Developed A Life-Saving Box To Protect Doctors From Covid-19

Two scientists have developed a protective box that can allow doctors to work on Covid-19 patients with a lower risk of contracting the virus during the specialist airways procedures. Calling for help via their crowdfunding page, the ‘simple, low-cost device’ could save lives - with the first designs potentially ready at the end of this week.

Posting on their crowd-funding page, scientists Dr Marion Palmer and Declan Costello, hoped to raise £5,000 to produce prototypes of the ‘Covid-19 airways procedure box’ which can be fitted over the head of patients when performing procedures like intubation.

It is during those specialist airways procedures that those who perform the specialist airways procedures - NHS intensive care doctors, anaesthetists and ear nose and throat (ENT) specialists - ‘face greater personal risk in contracting and spreading the virus’ due to the amount of coughing patients typically exhibit.

‘As an ENT Consultant, working daily with some of the most dedicated consultants and nursing staff in intensive care and in operating theatres, I see the high level of risks they face,’ Costello wrote on the crowdfunding page. ‘Tragically an ENT colleague lost his life at the weekend to Covid-19.

‘We are all working intensively and we do not want the capacity of ENT specialists and the NHS to be reduced by the absence of a very simple device which is low in cost to produce,’ he continued. ‘Hospitals across the country have told us that they are in desperate need of such protective equipment and want to support the prototype testing.’

After just seven days, the page has raised a massive £21,755 (as of the April 8) which has enabled the scientists to send prototypes to five UK hospitals for testing. ‘ We have now set a stretch target of £25,000 which if secured, and if the prototypes prove successful, will go towards production and distribution of boxes across the NHS,’ an update on the crowdfunding page reads. ‘Should we raise more than required we will donate any remaining funds to other campaigns raising money for PPE for the NHS.’

Dr Palmer, Senior Scientist at Hogan Lovells International LLP, and Costello adapted the box from an original design created by Dr Hsien Yung Lai in Taiwan - which he made available for use to reduce COVID-19 risk - and in just one week the scientists received the manufacturing stage supported from Barkston Plastics Engineering Ltd and Barkston Plastics Ltd, both of which ‘are working on this at cost.’

With amazing developments like this being created and crowdfunded every day, it certainly is a beacon of hope to break up the terrifying news cycle right now. Hopefully, with more insight and public support, good news like this won’t be so few and far between.

To help support the development, click here for the crowdfunding page.

In response to an overwhelming news cycle, Grazia will collate good news stories from all corners of the internet to give our readers (and ourselves!) a break from the constant barrage of worrying news.

We can’t hide from what’s happening, in fact we’ll still be covering the news on site and social and staying informed about the latest developments, but our Good News Worth Sharing series will be a safe haven and a place to spread some positivity.

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