Andover Coronavirus: High Schoolers Making Protective Gear

ANDOVER, MA — Looking for a way to help health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak? A team of Andover High School students are making protective gear for Lawrence General Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital and could use your support.

Pratheek Kuimanda, a junior at the high school, explained that the project began after a scheduled Future Medical Professions club field trip to Lahey Hospital was canceled due to the outbreak, freeing up a $500 grant from the Service Club of Andover. Brad Heim of the Service Club suggested to Pratheek that they put that money to making personal protective equipment, also known as PPE.

"My grandma was a physician," Pratheek said. "If my grandma was in the field, I would try to do anything to help her. Maybe using this $500 grant would be in the interest of health care professionals, due to the shortage of PPE."

Less than a month later, PPE for Healthcare Workers is producing hundreds of face shields using 3D printers. The first batch will go to Lawrence General Hospital, Pratheek said. Both hospitals have said they will accept the masks.

Stephen Chinosi, the district's director of strategic innovation, and Scott Darlington, the high school's assistant principal, are helping the students. Pratheek is joined by three sophomores, Shashwat Ghevde, Steven Zhang and Davis Blanch, and two freshmen, Duncan McBrien and Rishi Gujjar.

The team is using a combination of two open source designs. Each mask includes two transparent sheets, an "ear saver," two elastics and a head band. The ear saver attaches to the face mask's elastics at the back of the head, saving the strain they would otherwise put on ears.

In terms of time, the head bands are the main bottleneck, as they take a long time to 3D print, Pratheek said. After Andover High School Principal Philip Conrad shared the group's work in a message to the community, a couple of residents offered additional 3D printers, speeding up the process.

The group also received a second grant, $400 from the Andover High School Parent Advisory Council, to buy more supplies.

Are you interested in helping and you have your own 3D printer? The group could still use more, Pratheek said. He encouraged people to email ppeforhealthcare@gmail.com. You can also help by buying a shirt or donating, through this fundraiser. The fundraiser has already brought in over $800.

Pratheek broke down the team's work as follows:

"Shashwat Ghevde, Duncan McBrien, and Davis Blanch print the component pieces of the masks," he said. "Rishi Gujjar [and I] assemble the finished product. Steven Zhang has been updating our group’s progress on their website, ppehealthcare.weebly.com, our Facebook page, and reaching out to many families who have been willing to help in any way possible."

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Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.