VENTILATOR PRODUCTION DURING COVID-19

1. VENTILATOR PRODUCTION DURING COVID-19 The decreased lung capacity in people who have contracted COVID-19 led, especially in the very beginning of the pandemic, to a shortage of ventilators. Because too many people needed them at one time, the need for enough ventilators at area hospitals reached critical mass. As a retired physician in Long Beach CA, Dr. Faustino Bernadett knew he had to do something to help bridge this gap. In the spring, he advised, in a volunteer capacity, a company that currently produces pediatric ventilators and is looking to shift production to adult ventilators using a design reliant on previously-approved FDA parts. Production was estimated to begin in June of this year. As COVID-19 spread through the country, it quickly became apparent that the disease did not affect children nearly as much as older adults. The vast majority of children who come down with coronavirus survive, and not as many children require ventilators as seniors do. In this country, there are 49 million people over the age of 65, including 5.3 million in the state of California. Many of them are at risk for severe illness with COVID-19, requiring extra vigilance and precautions to prevent exposure to the coronavirus. Back in March, it was found that the United States had only a fraction of the medical supplies, including ventilators and respirators, it needed to combat the coronavirus. In fact, the national stockpile had only 30 million surgical masks and 12 million respirators in reserves. About 500 million respirators and face masks were intended to be purchased over the next year and a half. Here we are in June, and the curve is flattening, with many states reporting decreased cases and not as dire of a need for ventilators now as there was in March. However, it’s important to ensure we have enough stockpiled for the projected second wave this fall/winter. Dr. Faustino Bernadett does not want to see the country faced with a shortage again, which is why he took steps three months ago to find out how more adult ventilators could be produced.

2. So how exactly does a company make such a shift? They have to reduce production on smaller pediatric ventilators and produce more of the larger versions that can sufficiently be used on an older adult. This requires a transfer of resources, increased materials and a new skill set to be able to achieve. But CA companies are doing it. This doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen quickly. The state hasn’t ended up needing a critical supply of ventilators as first predicted, which is a good thing because even as manufacturers are increasing their output, it’s still not enough for an adequate stockpile. This is not just a California issue. It’s happening in a global market where demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gowns and respiratory medical equipment are quickly outstripping supplies. It’s the outreach and advisory efforts of people like Dr. Faustino Bernadett who are helping ease the demand on the front lines. This isn’t all he has done for the betterment of people in the Long Beach area since COVID-19 hit. Read more about his accomplishments and ongoing volunteer efforts here. Also, feel free to visit his website here.