How the dive industry is responding to COVID-19

Manufacturers in the dive industry are using their skills and expertise to contribute in the global fight against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Here in the UK, British Diver is aware of rebreather specialists who have been approached by a healthcare trust to provide scrubber for use in hospitals, which are running short due to high demand for oxygen.

The industry is also looking at ways to retool its manufacturing capacity to produce sterilising and cleaning equipment.

In Italy, which has been badly affected by the outbreak, Mares has come up with a new form of its Sea Vu Dry + snorkelling full-face mask.

These much imitated masks, which have a built-in snorkel mounted on the top of the faceplate, have been adapted by Mares to be used with CPAP machines.

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is used for conscious patients who require supplementary oxygen.

Using 3D printers, the company has successfully produced the modified masks and delivered them to hospitals in Genoa, Parma, La Spezia, Lavagna and Savona in Italy.

In the USA, Ocean Reef (which is also part of the HEAD, parent company of Mares) has pursued a similar approach with its range of snorkelling masks.

Ocean Reef has offered the designs patent-free to institutions, universities, hospitals and other non-for profit entities, to enable them to 3D print their own.

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