A Personal respirator to improve protection for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 (PeRSo)
A Personal respirator to improve protection for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 (PeRSo)
Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection is a global pandemic. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect healthcare workers has been a recurrent challenge in terms of global stocks, supply logistics and suitability. Around 20% of healthcare workers treating COVID-19 cases have become infected, which leads to staff absence at peaks of the pandemic, and in some cases mortality.
Methods: To address current shortcomings in PPE, we developed a simple powered air purifying respirator, made from inexpensive and widely available components. The prototype was designed to minimise manufacturing complexity so that derivative versions could be developed in low resource settings with minor modification.
Results: The “Personal Respirator – Southampton” (PeRSo) delivers High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtered air from a battery powered fan-filter assembly into a lightweight hood with a clear visor that can be comfortably worn for several hours. Validation testing demonstrates that the prototype removes microbes, avoids excessive CO2 build-up in normal use, and passes fit test protocols widely used to evaluate standard N95/FFP2 and N99/FFP3 face masks. Feedback from doctors and nurses indicate the PeRSo prototype was preferred to standard FFP2 and FFP3 masks, being more comfortable and reducing the time and risk of recurrently changing PPE. Patients report better communication and reassurance as the entire face is visible.
Conclusion: Rapid upscale of production of cheaply produced powered air purifying respirators, designed to achieve regulatory approval in the country of production, could protect healthcare workers from infection and improve healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Elkington, Paul
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Dickinson, Alexander
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Mavrogordato, Mark
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Spencer, Daniel
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Gillams, Richard
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De Grazia, Antonio
cb3a7bf4-094b-4206-812e-b5537760f1e8
Rosini, Sebastian
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Garay Baquero, Diana
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Diment, Laura
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Mahobia, Nitin
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Mant, Alexandra
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Baynham, Tom
df81d58e-b44c-4916-b4e5-910d60a4d235
Morgan, Hywel
de00d59f-a5a2-48c4-a99a-1d5dd7854174
10 June 2021
Elkington, Paul
60828c7c-3d32-47c9-9fcc-6c4c54c35a15
Dickinson, Alexander
10151972-c1b5-4f7d-bc12-6482b5870cad
Mavrogordato, Mark
f3e0879b-118a-463a-a130-1c890e9ab547
Spencer, Daniel
4affe9f6-353a-4507-8066-0180b8dc9eaf
Gillams, Richard
89341fe4-db94-4d27-a5be-c092e2e8de5b
De Grazia, Antonio
cb3a7bf4-094b-4206-812e-b5537760f1e8
Rosini, Sebastian
5ee1c836-a1a6-47fd-84c1-7386ec72e334
Garay Baquero, Diana
da9136fe-3d47-4d04-8ab3-96bfe17a773c
Diment, Laura
ae7297b9-3a62-4e7c-a52d-49aba51b7608
Mahobia, Nitin
cf61df75-633e-4622-abc7-271979c13d3f
Mant, Alexandra
63319e45-deeb-45ad-a30d-e05b42052a0d
Baynham, Tom
df81d58e-b44c-4916-b4e5-910d60a4d235
Morgan, Hywel
de00d59f-a5a2-48c4-a99a-1d5dd7854174
Elkington, Paul, Dickinson, Alexander, Mavrogordato, Mark, Spencer, Daniel, Gillams, Richard, De Grazia, Antonio, Rosini, Sebastian, Garay Baquero, Diana, Diment, Laura, Mahobia, Nitin, Mant, Alexandra, Baynham, Tom and Morgan, Hywel
(2021)
A Personal respirator to improve protection for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 (PeRSo).
Frontiers in Medical Technology, 3 (664259), .
(doi:10.3389/fmedt.2021.664259).
Abstract
Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection is a global pandemic. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect healthcare workers has been a recurrent challenge in terms of global stocks, supply logistics and suitability. Around 20% of healthcare workers treating COVID-19 cases have become infected, which leads to staff absence at peaks of the pandemic, and in some cases mortality.
Methods: To address current shortcomings in PPE, we developed a simple powered air purifying respirator, made from inexpensive and widely available components. The prototype was designed to minimise manufacturing complexity so that derivative versions could be developed in low resource settings with minor modification.
Results: The “Personal Respirator – Southampton” (PeRSo) delivers High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtered air from a battery powered fan-filter assembly into a lightweight hood with a clear visor that can be comfortably worn for several hours. Validation testing demonstrates that the prototype removes microbes, avoids excessive CO2 build-up in normal use, and passes fit test protocols widely used to evaluate standard N95/FFP2 and N99/FFP3 face masks. Feedback from doctors and nurses indicate the PeRSo prototype was preferred to standard FFP2 and FFP3 masks, being more comfortable and reducing the time and risk of recurrently changing PPE. Patients report better communication and reassurance as the entire face is visible.
Conclusion: Rapid upscale of production of cheaply produced powered air purifying respirators, designed to achieve regulatory approval in the country of production, could protect healthcare workers from infection and improve healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Text
fmedt-03-664259
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Supplementary information: fmedt-03-664259-g003
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Supplementary information: fmedt-03-664259-g0002
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More information
In preparation date: 6 April 2020
Submitted date: 4 February 2021
Accepted/In Press date: 14 May 2021
Published date: 10 June 2021
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 439323
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/439323
PURE UUID: ad187313-57d0-4321-85f2-7f4374438412
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Date deposited: 08 Apr 2020 16:40
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:54
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Contributors
Author:
Daniel Spencer
Author:
Richard Gillams
Author:
Sebastian Rosini
Author:
Diana Garay Baquero
Author:
Laura Diment
Author:
Nitin Mahobia
Author:
Alexandra Mant
Author:
Tom Baynham
Author:
Hywel Morgan
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