Professional paper
A THOUSAND FACE SHIELDS FOR MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT
Hrvoje Belani
orcid.org/0000-0003-1392-7502
; P.O.I.N.T. Association, Marijana Detonija 34, 48260 Križevci, Croatia
Karlo Siladi
; Rimac Automobiles Ltd, Ljubljanska 7, 10431 Sveta Nedelja, Croatia
Jelena Širjan
; Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Lucija Herceg
; School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Gundulićeva 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Over the past half year, the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus has spread to all countries and territories of the world. In the fight against this global epidemic, the first of its magnitude since the Spanish flu in 1918, health systems around the world were under enormous burden, and medical personnel, who are on the front line of defense, needed continued assistance in protective equipment, to minimize their risk of infection in daily contact with patients. This paper presents an experience report in community engagement to make and distribute a thousand face shields for medical personnel, originally planned to support local needs but reacted to numerous requests and grew to answer the immanent needs of health and social care professionals all over Croatia. The face shield design was based on open source blueprints and adopted to fit the requirements for fast and high quality production of these equipment necessary to fight COVID-19 pandemic. This work provides an insight to campaign planning and execution, as well as analysis of delivered results and media coverage. Discussion provides guidance for similar actions to be taken in the future by local community activators to contribute to social good.
Keywords
face shields; humanitarian action; COVID-19; CNC cutting machine; fundraising
Hrčak ID:
254865
URI
Publication date:
30.3.2021.
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