PPE made by the Indian Navy: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed and produced by the Indian Navy has received certification for mass production and be used in clinical COVID-19 situations. The PPEs have been tested by INMAS (Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences) Delhi, a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) organization tasked with the testing and certification of PPE.
“Shortage of PPE during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is of serious concern as it imperils the well-being and availability of the healthcare workforce, apart from adversely impacting their security and morale…The Indian Navy has risen to this challenge of making available this critical resource in the fight against Covid-19,” navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.
The PPE is required to meet a set of criteria on testing and the benchmarks of the same are set by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The cost of this PPE is significantly lower than those commercially available.
A team formed by the Innovation Cell, Institute of Naval Medicine, Mumbai and the Naval Dockyard Mumbai collaborated to design and produce PPE. The PPE passed with 6/6 Synthetic blood penetration resistance test pressure. The government mandates a minimum of 3/6 and above level as per ISO 16603 standard.
“The outstanding features of the PPE are its simple, innovative and cost-effective design; thus it can be made by basic gown manufacturing facilities. The PPE is noteworthy for the innovative choice of fabric used, which gives the PPE its ‘breathability’ and penetration resistance rendering it both comfortable and safe for the user,” as per a release.
Meanwhile, DRDO has made a bio-suit for medical professionals to help them fight coronavirus disease. Interestingly, the bio-suit made by DRDO has a unique feature. The DRDO is said to have prepared a special sealant as an alternative to seam sealing tape based on the sealant used in submarine applications.
The special sealant used for submarine applications is required because as per DRDO, the non-availability of seam sealing tapes is hampering the bio-suit production in India.
Meanwhile, India registered over 3,000 new coronavirus cases for the second day as the total number of coronavirus cases in the country surged past 55,000. The total number of coronavirus cases in India stood at 56,342, according to the ministry of health and family welfare. Maharashtra confirmed over 1,200 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday, for the second consecutive day. Delhi witnessed the biggest spike in daily COVID-19 count as 448 new cases were added in the last 24 hours.
