In the city of Leeds in the northern part of England, a couple decided to take action in the battle of fighting COVID-19 by putting their 3D printer at home to good use. Nick Pearson and Lauren Rooney started making sterile and eco-friendly protective visors for doctors, pharmacists, surgeons and GPs. Their 3D printed protective gear has garnered a lot of attention.
After the couple received an overwhelming response to the visors, they purchased three more printers and can now print up to 1,500 visors per week. The duo will be offering the product to any hospital, GP practice, or pharmacy for free. Orders are already starting to flood in for the protective gear.
Pearson, who is an IT programmer, explained:
At the moment we have two printers on the kitchen table, and the TV stand has been recommissioned for two printers which arrived today. I’m willing to put as many printers in my house as needed to get print times as low as possible, but with the quality still there. It’s a serious production line. The more money we raise, the more printers we can buy, and the more we can produce.
According to Pearson, deliveries have already been sent to pharmacies in Leeds and neighboring communities. There is an enormous interest in the visors. “The response we’ve got is absolutely phenomenal,” he added.
The duo has started a GoFundMe page to raise money, that has recently surpassed it’s goal, so they can order six more printers within the next week and ramp up production on the 3D printed gear.
Pearson said:
It’s close to me. I’ve got a lot of families who are classed as vulnerable. I just want to help people stay safe, to do something that can help. It’s really important to look at your skills, what you’re good at, and work out how you can help. Take a look around – are you good at sewing? Can you make aprons? There are a lot of groups that need help on Facebook with all kinds of things. It’s time for everybody to pull together.
People all around the globe are helping out; however they can. In Maryland, USA, a 7-year-old boy used his savings to make ‘COVID-19 Care Packs‘ for 65 senior citizens, while a team in Atlanta, Georgia, put portable sinks around the city to help protect the homeless from the coronavirus.
