UW Health and University partnering to fix PPE from National Stockpile

UW Health is partnering with the UW Department of Engineering to make sure frontline medical workers get the supplies they need to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

They are now working together to design, test and manufacture a critical piece of personal protective equipment (PPE): Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) hoods.

The UW Health says that they have received 1,000 PAPR hoods from the federal government's Strategic National Stockpile.

However, the connectors required to attach the hoses delivering HEPA-filtered air to the hoods were not compatible, according to UW Health.

UW Health and the Department of Engineering decided to work together to discuss the problem, design and test a prototype and have the connectors manufactured and delivered to University Hospital, according to UW Health.

As of Wednesday, all 1,000 PAPR hoods from the National Stockpile are ready to be used by frontline medical workers.

PAPR units are used to isolate healthcare workers from contaminated air and usually include a motor/blower, filter, battery, breathing tube and hood.