As a society, our progress against the pandemic isnāt as fast as one would hope, but weāre certainly budging. The vaccine rollout that we could only look forward to during the early days of lockdown is now underway, for one. And from there, we can finally count down the days until weāre able to move on to the next chapter of our lives. But, really, whatās in store for us on the other side of the fence?
Harvard experts, as early as December 2020, have identified the things that would shape the post-pandemic future. Though theyāre already here, their further acceleration is unquestionable: cashless transactions, widespread remote work, and reduced physical shops in parallel to the burgeoning of online stores.
Itās also starting to be apparent how the use of personal protective equipment or PPE will remain, even long after the world is cleared of the pandemic.
In fact, a discussion about the continued use of PPEs was discussed in a Facebook Live called Reframe Your Future: The Path to the Next Normal, which was hosted by Medtecs International Corporation Limitedāa decades-old PPE supplier renowned both in and out of the country.
There, William Yang, the companyās CEO and Executive Director, emphasized what health professionals have been saying, and what a lot of us probably already know: āVaccines, no matter what brand, don’t offer hundred percent protection. So even if you already have two jabs, you still need to wear [your] PPEs especially in private places or where ventilation is poor.ā
This reality prompted Medtecs to come up with productsāoutside of face masks and coverallsā that can help protect individuals as we navigate our way to the next normal. The new lineup is called the Medtecs Shield Collection, which includes the following antiviral products:
ā Phone case
ā Screen protector
ā Stylus
ā Air purifier necklace
ā Bottled spray
ā Weekly disposable antiviral mask
The slightly complicated duty of PPE makers
Fact: Millions of PPEs are being disposed of every day. And this certainly poses the question of how we can possibly find the middle ground between protecting ourselves without hurting the environment.
Yang was upfront about the reality that it isnāt sustainable to recycle used PPEs, even on the grounds of reducing waste. Who would be at peace with the idea of using recycled and pre-owned PPEs, anyway?
He explained, āWeāre trying to figure out a way to recycle these used PPEs but itās actually very difficult. First, itās very cheap [to produce PPE], so itās not economical to recycle. And second, after use, people would have concerns whether itās safe to gather these used PPEs.
āItās very difficult, which is why we try to use the alternative way to do it: We try to prolong the life cycle of these products instead of one-time use,ā he added.
For example, thereās the reusable isolation gown from Medtecsās flagship line. Another solution is the weekly disposable antiviral mask from the Medtecs Shield Collection, which is treated with cutting-edge nanotechnology that allows its wearer to use it for up to seven days without odor and with the same filtration power.
Thereās no way to tell how soon we can transition to a post-pandemic world, but we can definitely prepare for it as we continue to live out the current reality where masks and PPE continue to provide the most cost-effective protection against the spread of the viruses.Ā Ā
Watch the full live discussion, Reframe Your Future: The Path to the Next Normal, on Medtecsā Facebook page here.
For more information, visit medtecsphilippines.com.