Title: Innovative Face Shields Help Frontliners Face-off COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract: The COVID-19 outbreak has presented unique challenges 1 and opportunities for innovations towards effective response and overcoming operational constraints.Personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical to mitigate the risk of infection faced by healthcare workers (HCWs) 2,3 in care settings.Prolonged use of goggles can cause discomfort, pain and facial imprints.Moreover, the lenses tend to fog up, reducing visibility and even resulting in giddiness at times.In response to discomfort, HCWs may be compelled to adjust the goggles, inadvertently exposing themselves to the risk of contamination with blood, bodily fluids and other potentially infectious materials.Face shields may be a more comfortable alternative to these goggles.Acute shortages due to global supply-chain disruptions in the early course of the pandemic presented our innovation team with an opportunity to swiftly design and develop an ideal face shield for HCWs, to provide robust protection with better fit and comfort.For ease of use and viability, disposability and low-cost factors were noted.Expedited production would address the potential acute shortages.