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A community effort which has gained huge momentum in just a few days, will see hundreds of full face visors made to try and combat the impact of a worldwide shortage, which has left frontline health and care workers in the Bailiwick exposed to corona virus.
One hundred headbands have already been made using 3D printers, to the specification required by staff at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, and it's estimated up to 600 could be produced through the groups' efforts.
Pictured: The 3D printers needed to make the headbands are being used by schools, businesses and individuals.
There are around 10 Guernsey firms involved so far, along with students and their teachers at the Grammar School and Elizabeth College, as well as a number of individuals across the island who have access to a 3D printer.
They're using the technology to print the headbands which are then attached to clear screens - which are also being made locally, quicker than they can be manufactured and shipped to the island.
Karen Marsh, who is helping to co-ordinate the community effort with representatives from the States of Guernsey, said they need to make as many as possible, but as it takes a few hours to print each head band, it is quite a slow process.
She said the more people who can get involved the better and she asked for anyone who has a 3D printer and who is keen to help out by printing the headbands to get in touch via the Facebook group which has been set up.
Pictured: The headbands are being printed using 3D technology.
As they are made, and delivered to the frontline, the headbands will be used on visors that are mainly worn by staff at the PEH Intensive Care Unit. Other staff across the whole of Health and Social Care will also use them as more come available. That will include any staff working in a community setting where a procedure might require such protection.
The community group features individuals representing a number of businesses, as well as engineering firms.
PwC and others including Atec Engineering, AirFi Networks and Offshore Electronics worked closely together with States staff to get four room purifiers imported into the island, for use in the new ‘hot ICU’ at the PEH, which has been created in what is usually the Day Patient Unit.
The new 'hot ICU' has been created in anticipation of a rising number of seriously ill patients with corona virus symptoms needing treatment at the PEH. The new room purifiers will provide increased protection for staff working in there by ‘cleaning’ the air and reducing droplets of covid-19 in the environment.
Nick Vermeulen, Partner at PwC and a spokesperson for the group’s efforts, said it is a real community project.
"We all just wanted to do something to help and know that sourcing these essentials is very difficult at this time given the global nature of this pandemic. Producing the face visors for the team at the Intensive Care Unit has been a real team effort between the medical professionals, colleagues across the States of Guernsey and the wider community. We have produced 150 so far and have the materials to produce another 450 as needed.
"Anyone with a 3D printer that they are willing to use is asked to come forward and contact us via atec@cwgsy.net or our new Facebook page - Guernsey Community 3D Print.”
Pictured: Nick Vermeulen and others are using the Facebook group to share the work out among the community.
Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of the Committee for Health & Social Care, said:
“This is what #GuernseyTogether is all about. Face visors are a critical item to help keep our front-line staff as safe as possible but there is a global shortage so we were struggling to resource our needs through the normal supply chain.
"There are a lot of people behind this work and far too many for me to thank here individually, but this is such an amazing example of businesses, the community and the States working in partnership.
"If anyone out there has access to a 3D printer that either isn’t being used, or they can release for this essential work, then please get in touch with the community project team. Thank you to all involved.”
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Pictured top: Images from the Guernsey Community 3D Print Facebook page.
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