Teachers in Bahrain produce medical visors for the kingdom’s hospitals

Six teachers and a technician at St Christopher’s School Bahrain are taking it in turns to produce the masks using 3D printers

A team of teachers at a private school in Bahrain has started producing face visors to help the country's medical workers in the fight against Covid-19.

Seven staff members at St Christopher’s School Bahrain, which is currently closed, are taking it in turns to use 3D printers in the design technology laboratory to create about 20 PVC visors a day.

"Last Friday morning, I received a message from our admission officer, Jo Atkinson, regarding an article she had read about the production of 3D-printed face shields in New York," Nick Wilson, head of senior school, tells The National. "Through our medical contacts, we quickly realised that there was a shortage of these for health workers and, by 2pm that afternoon, our prototypes were being made."

Bryon Pearce, an assistant head of senior school, and Kim Chadwick, head of design technology, are leading a team of four more teachers and a technician in this new project. In order to adhere to the island’s strict social distancing regulations, staff members rotate every four hours, as it takes that long to make two visors.

Kim Chadwick, head of design technology, and Bryon Pearce, assistant head, at St Christopher's School Bahrain. Courtesy St Christopher's School Bahrain

The team initially downloaded three different STL files using computer-aided design (CAD) software that were created in the UK and US, adapting those to suit the materials they have access to. Following British health and safety guidelines, three variant prototypes were produced and then tested by a local doctor, who chose the final, most suitable design. These were checked with N95 respirator masks underneath to make sure the fittings are correct.

If other schools want to do it too, we have the link to the files and can send those over

“We’re also making sure to send enough so that they can be changed regularly and the ABS material we use can be wiped down and disinfected, and the visor can be clicked into place,” Ms Chadwick explains. “They are then sanitising them at the hospital as well.”

Around the world, schools and institutions are coming together to produce visors and other face shields for frontline workers. In the UK, schools have been asked to donate science goggles and other gear to the NHS due to a shortage of protective equipment for doctors dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. Britain's The Royal Mint, which usually produces coins and medals, is also using its engineers to manufacture up to 4,000 visors a day to be used by health workers.

Bahrain Defence Force Hospital staff wearing the visor made by St Christopher's School Bahrain team. Courtesy St Christopher's School Bahrain

The Bahrain team began working on their own project on Sunday, March 29 and they have already produced more than 50 visors. The first batch was delivered to Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical Services Hospital and Awali Cardiac Centre on Monday, and were immediately put to use by the medical team, who have been “very impressed with the quality”, a statement from the school states.

In this international crisis every single person has a responsibility to help those in need

BDF Hospital has requested 200 and Bahrain’s Ministry of Health has asked for 40 to use in their research laboratories, Chadwick confirms.

“We are just going to keep going until production stops. Anything helps,” she adds.

Over the past 24 hours, Ms Chadwick says they have had other schools across the kingdom reach out to them, offering the use of their 3D printers, including the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Parents and students who have access to their own 3D printers are also participating, dropping off any visors they make to a secure location at the school’s reception.

It takes four hours to make two visors using St Christopher's School Bahrain's 3D printers. Courtesy St Christopher's School Bahrain

“If other schools want to do it too, we have the link to the files and can send those over,” Ms Chadwick adds.

Simon Watson, the school’s principal, says he is “immensely proud” of his staff at this time “for the initiative they have shown to support health workers in Bahrain. In this international crisis every single person has a responsibility to help those in need.”

All educational institutions in Bahrain were closed on February 25 indefinitely due to the pandemic. The country has implemented an aggressive approach to testing and tracing all Covid-19 patients, which has won it international praise.