The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the hospital setting with a huge number of Coronavirus-infected patients. No one was prepared or ready to face such a terrible spread of disease which had led to a critical shortage of emergency medical products and devices in some countries. Many countries are struggling to deal with the high demands being placed on hospitals and healthcare facilities. Medical staff are at high risk of direct exposure to this deadly virus and need personal protective equipment (PE) to protect themselves.
The medical products essential in the pandemic:
1: Ventilators
A ventilator is often used in ICUs of hospitals. They create positive pressure and force air into a patient’s lungs when they are struggling to breath themselves. Patients infected with coronavirus get symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing, that is why the ventilator is one of many very important emergency medical products for critical patients.
When a person’s immune system cannot fight the infection, the virus can get in the lungs and can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In those instances it can be necessary to transfer the patient to a ventilator.
2: Pulse Oximeter
In most cases of COVID-19, the symptoms are mild, but in aged and immunosuppressed patients hypoxemia can be observed. This condition occurs when the blood oxygen saturation level is low, despite patients having no signs of shortness of breath. In such a condition, a pulse oximeter can be used to monitor oxygen saturation levels so they can be managed.
Oximetry is performed to monitor how well medication is working and how helpful a ventilator is for a corona virus patient.
3: Nasal Prongs
Nasal prongs are sterile and non-sterile medical devices made up of plastic material and semi-rigid structures. These are introduced in Coronavirus patient’s nostril to administer the concentrated oxygen flow in the nostrils. They help to deliver a variable amount of oxygen depending upon the patient’s breathing rate.
4: Medical Face Masks
Face masks can help stop the spread of infection from person to person. Widespread mask use limits the transfer of virus by people who don’t even realize that they are infected with the coronavirus. Choose a mask that:
- Covers your nose and mouth
- Has two or three breathable layers
- Filter remove pathogens from the air
5: Gloves, Gowns And Other Dressing Elements
Hospital staff are at high risk of getting infected with Coronavirus from their patients. Healthcare professionals are recommended to use sterile gloves, caps, boots, and other PPEs to protect themselves from viral infection.
