We’ve seen many a company pivoting to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the latest of those is Xerox.
The firm, which usually manufactures printers, has announced that it will soon begin mass producing disposable ventilators for hospitals in the US.
The ventilator in question is known as the Go2Vent, “a low-cost resuscitation device commonly used by first responders in emergencies and disasters,” according to a press release sent to Hypertext.
The device is manufactured by a firm known as Vortran Medical, but as it’s a small company, ramping up production then requires some help.
“The partnership with Xerox has one clear goal — to help save as many lives as possible,” said Vortran co-founder and chief executive officer, Gordan Wong. “For all of us, this will be the most important thing we ever do.”
The ventilators are meant to be used as a sort of stop-gap for those who exhibit lower-level symptoms. This frees up the more robust ventilators for those in serious need such as patients in ICU.
Xerox hopes to be producing 150 000 to 200 000 devices by the end of June.
According to a press release the ventilators can be used for up to 30 days and have been used widely for other disasters such as the September 11th terror attacks in New York.
“Given the shortage of ICU-grade ventilators, medical professionals are utilizing tools like this and other technology to support patients who do not yet or no longer need an ICU-level breathing device, which can be freed up for another patient,” Xerox and Vortran said in a joint statement.
Of course Xerox is not the only firm to pick up a new production line since the COVID-19 pandemic. Sharp has converted a TV factory into a medical mask factory and so has Razer.
Locally, Syntech has committed to donating 10 percent of masks it sells to healthcare workers.
3D printing communities are also coming to the fore to print face shields locally.
With lockdown extended we hope to see more local companies coming to the fore to produce or make protective equipment more easily accessible.
