In Spain, Volunteers Help to Print and Deliver Face Shields

April 3, 2020 | Valencia, Spain | By: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review

A group of people volunteering for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Spain and a newly formed group named “Covidmakers” are using 3D printers and technology to make face masks (also called facial shields), which they are donating to area hospitals, health-care facilities, and senior residences in Camp de Morvedre, Valencia.

According to a March 31, 2020, post by Revista Adventista España (Adventist Review Spain), local ADRA leaders reported that since March 26, volunteers have distributed the first 220 face shields to various facilities, including Sagunto Hospital near Sagunto Adventist College.

Volunteers working on the project shared that they have been making two different types of face shields, one simpler and another one of superior quality to be used by frontline health-care workers in their fight against COVID-19. Basic frames are made using 3D printers, and then the shields are put together by the same group, leaders said. The volunteers also deliver the shields to local medical facilities.

“People working in health-care facilities received a face shield, even if they are not directly taking care of patients with COVID-19,” project coordinators reported. “Simple face shields were delivered to people working in administration or general nursing and triage positions. Higher quality shields were sent to endoscopy specialists, intensive care unit workers, and pulmonology physicians.”

Volunteers are also working on adapting diving masks, which they are hoping can be used by patients whose health condition is not so severe. Other people in the surrounding community are sewing hospital gowns and caps.

“We ask anyone who can contribute with basic supplies or logistic assistance to please contact our local office to do so,” ADRA leaders said. “There’s also need of assistance to assemble the masks, and volunteers are invited to approach us,” they added.

Other Projects

Several hours southwest of Sagunto, in the city of El Puerto, Cádiz, the local ADRA office is working together with the local government to provide shelter and essential services to the city’s homeless. Volunteers are also distributing food to people in need.

Carmen Lara, city social services coordinator, thanked ADRA publicly for the agency’s support, which, she said, will allow them to open a new shelter for homeless people very soon.

Local ADRA leaders reported that homeless people and those underprivileged will gain access to hot showers, a place to stay overnight, and three hot meals a day.

The municipal facilities being adapted to shelter the homeless had been used by ADRA to store the food they regularly distribute among local families in need.

ADRA leaders reported that they will move the stored food to another building and that the city government will cover the moving-related costs.

“From our new address, we will keep distributing food bags to families in need,” they said.

Pedro Llorca and Esther Azón contributed to this report.