Boeing has transported 1.5 million medical-grade face masks from Hong Kong to Greenville, South Carolina, US, in response to Covid-19 relief efforts. The transport mission was completed using a converted Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter. The delivery is the result of its partnership with Prisma Health, Atlas Air Worldwide and Discommon founder Neil Ferrier. The company is considering to conduct additional airlift transport missions in the future.
L3Harris Technologies has announced the design of Innovative Inspiratory Ideas (i3) Breather prototype, a low-cost, ventilation support system for patients fighting COVID-19. A team lead by the company’s engineers delivered the prototype in just three weeks. The prototype is one of the five designs selected under the government’s Hack-A-Vent Innovation Challenge. The prototypes are now under testing for the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
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A memorandum of agreement (MOA) has been signed between the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Keyport and Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB). The agreement will see the production of safety equipment for the hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. The centre will use its additive manufacturing capabilities to manufacture equipment such as face masks and Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPR) hoods for frontline first responders.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has wrapped up its assistance to Victorian surgical face mask manufacturer Med-Con. With the ADF support, which started on 7 March, the company was able to produce 2.6 million surgical masks. Med-Con can now make 50 million masks a year with plans to increase it to 200 million annually. Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said: “It is a great example of Defence and civilian personnel working together in a common national cause to lift our industrial output.”
