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The Application of Additive Manufacturing Technology in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic
Published in Atul Babbar, Ankit Sharma, Vivek Jain, Dheeraj Gupta, Additive Manufacturing Processes in Biomedical Engineering, 2023
Raj Agarwal, Jaskaran Singh, Vishal Gupta
Face shields are firmly established among the projects of PPE. Face shields are mainly used in the medical, dental, and veterinary domains to provide coverage for the entire face for protection [29–30]. The face shield is a head-worn frame that covers the eyes, nose, and mouth of an individual to prevent and protect against respiratory droplets and the inhalation of saliva, dust, pollen, and the like. The frame in a face shield is simple geometry that can easily be fabricated with the help of AM technology [30]. Delbarre et al. [31] used AM technology to fabricate shields for slit lamps during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fused deposition modeling (FDM)–based AM technology is used to fabricate face shields as depicted in Figure 4.5a [29]. AM-fabricated face shields contain a 3D-printed headband, a shield, and an elastic strap as presented in Figure 4.5b [29]. Poly-lactic acid (PLA) is used in most FDM-based AM technology [32]. The frame of the face shield is fabricated with the help of AM technology using PLA material as depicted in Figure 4.6a [33]. The transparent film is assembled in the frame of the face shield, and an assembled face-shield prototype is presented in Figure 4.6b [33]. Complete protection is provided to the surgeon with the help of a 3D-printed face shield as shown in Figure 4.6c [33].
Application of 3D Printing in COVID-19
Published in Salah-ddine Krit, Vrijendra Singh, Mohamed Elhoseny, Yashbir Singh, Artificial Intelligence Applications in a Pandemic, 2022
M. Anantha Sunil, T. Sanjana, Akshata Rai, Apoorva G. Kanthi
COVID-19 is an infectious disease, and health workers are selflessly working day and night to take care of patients, to keep the people safe. It is very important for health workers to protect themselves from the virus. They require personal protective equipment like face masks, face shields, and gloves to protect themselves from getting infected. The face shields help health workers protect themselves from bodily fluids and droplets from the patients who are being treated for cough, cold, and other infections that are symptoms of COVID-19. There is a high demand for the PPEs, and it is difficult to meet the requirements through the conventional methods of production. The fabrication of face shields by 3D printing technology increases the production rate.
Vision and Illumination
Published in Stephan Konz, Steven Johnson, Work Design, 2018
Box 20.1 discusses task-specific eyeglasses. Eyeglasses can be made impact-resistant, but note that any lens will break if it is hit hard enough. Polycarbonate lenses are 40–50% lighter than glass; have them coated to prevent scratches. Many goggles have side shields; dust goggles have a fuzzy cloth next to the skin to give a better seal. Face shields protect the entire face from liquids and impact. Eyeglasses with chemicals in them to reduce light (either permanently as in sunglasses or temporarily as in lenses that automatically darken in sunlight) may present a safety hazard in welding areas. The chemicals probably will be designed only to cut off radiation in the visible spectrum. Thus, workers will think they are being protected, but the dangerous ultraviolet radiation is still hitting the eye. For that reason, use welding glasses only in welding areas. Outdoor workers should reduce macular degeneration risk by wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim.
Efficacy of face masks, neck gaiters and face shields for reducing the expulsion of simulated cough-generated aerosols
Published in Aerosol Science and Technology, 2021
William G. Lindsley, Francoise M. Blachere, Brandon F. Law, Donald H. Beezhold, John D. Noti
Previous studies have shown that face shields provide eye and facial protection to the wearer from droplets and splashes (Lindsley et al. 2014; Roberge 2016). When a face shield is worn in addition to a face mask, the face shield can also help reduce surface contamination of the mask by large aerosols and reduce the likelihood of hand contamination when the mask is removed or inadvertently touched (Lindsley et al. 2014). Our previous study showed that face shields provide some benefits as personal protective equipment when face masks cannot be worn (Lindsley et al. 2014), but as with all personal protection and source control devices, their limitations must be respected. Our results suggest that face masks and neck gaiters are more effective than face shields as source control devices to reduce the expulsion of respiratory aerosols into the environment as a public health measure to reduce the community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Investigation of the protection efficacy of face shields against aerosol cough droplets
Published in Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 2021
Ayala Ronen, Hadar Rotter, Shmuel Elisha, Sagi Sevilia, Batya Parizer, Nir Hafif, Alon Manor
The advantages of face shields over regular surgical masks are numerous. While surgical masks have limited availability and are disposable, face shields can be reused and are easily cleaned. They are comfortable to wear, retain less dermal facial heat, have no impact on breathing resistance, are less claustrophobic, and are inexpensive (Roberge 2016). They reduce the potential for autoinoculation by preventing the wearer from touching their face, and essentially protect the entire face and not only the expiratory pathway (CDC and NIOSH 2015). Also, use by a large fraction of the population of protective equipment which is slightly less effective but more comfortable or simple to wear may be more beneficial, in the public health context, than more effective equipment which is less comfortable or cumbersome. With these considerations, a face shield, although only partially protecting the users, can reduce the rate of infection, and may be adopted by more users due to its relative comfort (Perencevich et al. 2020).
Influence of face shields on exposures to respirable aerosol
Published in Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 2022
Marion J. Woodfield, Rachael M. Jones, Darrah K. Sleeth
In response to the pandemic of Coronavirus Infectious Diseases 2019 (COVID-19), there has been an increased interest in the use of face shields, face coverings, and respirators to prevent the acquisition of infection among workers and the general public. Face shields exist in a variety of designs, but the basic element is a clear, plastic barrier that covers the facial area (Roberge 2016). Face shields are typically used to protect the face from splashes and sprays, and performance can vary with design (Roberge 2016). During the COVID-19 pandemic, face shield use increased among healthcare workers to reduce droplet contamination and prolong use of surgical masks and filtering facepiece respirators in the face of equipment shortages (Perencevich et al. 2020). Face shields, however, may also influence the concentration of inhalable aerosols in the breathing zone of the wearer, such as generated by coughs. Lindsley et al. (2014) found that a face shield worn by a breathing mannequin reduced inhalation of aerosolized influenza virus by 96% immediately after a simulated cough with volume median diameter 8.5 µm, but the effect diminished to 23% over 30 min owing to the ability of small particles to by-pass the face shield; the face shield reduced surface contamination of the respirator worn under the face shield by 97%. Lindsley et al. (2021) and Pan et al. (2021) both found that face shields were poor source controls due to the ability of the exhaled air to easily escape the wearer’s breathing zone. Pan et al. (2021) also found that face shields did not provide much protection for the wearer, with essentially no blockage of aerosols <0.7 μm; for particles >5 μm only 25% of particles were blocked from entering the wearer breathing zone. In none of these studies have face shields been tested as a receptor control with the inclusion of simulated exhalation by the wearer, which could conceivably influence the dispersion of particles in the breathing zone.