The world was left feeling bruised by the Covid 19 epidemic. When individuals were unable to get where they needed to go, life ground to a halt; many lost their jobs and couldn’t get the supplies they needed. This COVID-19 outbreak was caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. According to the World Health Organization, the majority of persons who have the virus will only suffer mild to moderate respiratory symptoms. Although, unfortunately, some may get very sick and require professional medical care. People over the age of 65 and those who already have disorders like high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, or cancer have a higher risk of developing life-threatening illnesses. COVID-19 may cause severe illness or death in people of any age.
Knowing the sickness and how the virus spreads is the greatest approach to stopping or at least delaying the spread of it. Separate yourself from other people by at least 1 metre, always wear a mask that fits correctly, and constantly wash your hands or use an alcohol-based rub to prevent the spread of disease. Vaccinate when it’s your time and as directed by local authorities. Despite the obviousness of the means to safeguard oneself, many did not have access to these resources.
The PanFab (Pandemic Fabrication) team was established by a group of PhD and M.D. students from the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology (HST) to meet the urgent needs for medical supplies and equipment arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative was focused initially on the Greater Boston area but anyone is free to join and use its work products. We aim to continue this even after the immediate COVID-19 outbreak has passed so that key lessons can be learned and applied to future crises.
“None of us came into this project with expertise in pandemic response. We spent our “pre-pandemic” lives building skills and experience towards our own personal and professional goals, whether in 3D printing, materials, mechanical engineering, or otherwise. However, in the face of crisis, we realized we needed to find some way to use these skills in a completely different context. We all felt a need to answer this call for different reasons.” You can also be a part of this action by joining us or by sharing our stories with others to inspire people to do more.
To learn more visit our website PanFab.org and read this article. Please contact us to ask questions or get involved at panfabteam@gmail.com.
