The battle against ebola is a long one, and there have been casualties on the side of the light. Doctors, nurses, soldiers, and other first responders who are doing their utmost back to stem the tide of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa happen to wear protective suits, and while doing so would greatly minimize their exposure to the deadly virus while working among the infected, it is touted to be too hot to wear in the tropics, and more often than not also ends up as a source of contagion when such suits are being removed. Johns Hopkins University alongside international health affiliate Jhpiego and various other partners intend to make the fight against Ebola safer, resulting in a new anti-contamination suit which will cater for healthcare workers. This new suit is not only easier to remove, it is also a whole lot cooler than its predecessor.
The Johns Hopkins Ebola suit is special in a sense that it comes with an anti-fog breathing mask. Taking only two months to develop after a weekend-long design brainstorming event, this spanking new prototype anti-contamination suit was developed by an alliance of engineers, medical experts, students, and volunteers. Not only is the design simple and practical, it is also very cheap to produce and will ensure the wearer remains nice and cool, while removal is a snap as there is minimum contact involved between the wearer and the suit. [Press Release]
Filed in . Read more about Science.