Nearing the 1 million mark

It’s somber, but not entirely unexpected, news. CoVID-19 cases are rising once again across Europe. Worldwide the death toll will likely hit 1 million within the next couple of weeks. In total, approximately 30 million cases have officially been recorded. That’s a 1-in-30 death rate; one-in-thirty too many. It’s also far from unlikely that the actual number of deaths probably surpassed 1 million weeks ago.

Photo by Morning Brew on Unsplash

Thankfully, the rise in cases across Europe has not translated into a rise into hospital admissions or deaths. Yet.

In reaction to the rise, Hans Kluge, regional director, World Health Organization (WHO), gave some inspiring words; “We have fought it back before and we can fight it back again,". But he also noted that "the September case numbers, however, should serve as a wake-up call for all of us” and that "it's going to get tougher."

So, what has been the recent response to the rise? In Spain, schools are asking children as young as six to wear masks in the classroom. Hundreds of French municipalities have mandated that it’s now a legal requirement to wear a face mask in all open public spaces. Italian and Danish nightclubs and bars are shutting their doors. In the UK, the government is limiting gatherings to 6 people maximum, with regional lockdowns and curfews in force.

But we can do more. We can make sure our front-liners are kept safe. The first wave of the pandemic unleashed a terrible tide of anxiety, depression, and physical exhaustion upon medical and care services worldwide. Mental health charity Mind reports that, in the UK, nine-in-ten nurses are feeling more stressed and anxious than usual because of CoVID-19. A third believe their mental health to be 'bad' or 'very bad'.

That’s why this month, the WHO also called on governments and healthcare leaders to address persistent threats to the health and safety of health workers and patients. World Patient Safety Day on September 17th aimed to highlight the influence of healthcare workers’ mental and physical health on the safety of patients undergoing treatment. Safe health workers, safe patients.

Amongst other ways, that’s how AerosolShield can help - by creating a physical barrier that blocks the airborne transmission of infected droplets between patients and carers. Testimonies from early adopters all agree on one thing; our Shields make them feel safe to do the job they love again.

We know it’s only a small step in battling CoVID-19 but when used correctly, we know the AerosolShield can help delay the horrific milestones approaching in infection and death rates. If you would like to learn more, please visit our video gallery, share what you see and help spread the word. Thank you.

Mat Campbell-Hill