LYNCHBURG, Va. – Lynchburg doctors and nurses are a week and a half away from entering an early projected peak for the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
And finding face protection for frontline workers hasn’t been easy.
“It started with just individual doctors and nurses reaching out to us saying that they didn’t have what they felt that they wanted to have in terms of protection at work,” said executive director of Vector Space Elise Spontarelli.
This is why Spontarelli local schools and companies like Framatome Inc., James River Day School, Lynchburg City Schools, Randolph College, and Commercial Glass and Plastics have all stepped in to help.
The schools and companies have donated transparency sheets, elastic or are using 3D printers to make visors.
“At Vector Space we are looking into a different way of making these visors,” Spontarelli said.
Blue Ridge Ear, Nose, Throat and Plastic surgery is one of the several medical offices who’s called on Vector Space.
Physician Assistant Andrea Adamczak knows an N-95 mask isn’t enough protection when looking into a patient’s throat or nose.
“We have to use a scope. If someone were to sneeze or gag, they may expel droplets so this face shield is just an extra layer of protection,” Adamczak said.
On Thursday the office received its second wave of 3D face masks made by Vector Space.
The group has also built two intubation boxes for Centra Lynchburg General Hospital.
This is a picture of one in a room ready for use.
“We have a couple folks basically collaborating on making more of these not just for here in Lynchburg, but in Central Virginia as well,” Spontarelli said.
In just five days, Vector Space has created and delivered more than 80 face shields.
“It is what we need. And for them to do that using their time and their resources as a donation, there aren’t any words for that. Thank you, Vector Space,” Adamczak said.
Spontarelli said they are looking for volunteers who can donate elastic bands or deliver face shields.
If you would like to help go to their Facebook page.