When the coronavirus pandemic hit Mumbai and medical workers appeared clueless how to treat patients by ensuring their own safety, an enterprising female medical practitioner found a solution by designing a face shield made out of overhead projector sheets. The medical practitioner, working as an infection control expert at a suburban hospital, said a face shield should be made of plasticto stop fluid from entering inside. "Hence, I decided to use A4transparency sheets of overhead projectors and made face shields. They are washable and can be reused. I gave these face fields to hospital staff till PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) supplies came," she told PTI.

After testing the in-house produced shields for factors like comfort and clarity among others, the prototype was approved and 1,000 units were made, she said. The shields have helped address the shortage of safety equipment for medical workers who are at the forefront of fighting the battle against coronavirus. "Once a person wears the personal protective equipment (PPE), he feels safe. But they don't realise that you have to handle the PPE properly or else it will become a potential source of infection," she said.