Turkey hospital produces coronavirus face shields for newborns

Turkey's University of Health Sciences hospital is producing face shields for newborn babies to protect them from contracting Covid-19, Arabi21 reported on Wednesday.

"Newborn babies have weak immunity [...] so we thought about producing masks for their faces to protect them from the virus' infection," said Yaprak Ustun, director at the Istanbul-based university's gynaecology hospital.

The newborn face shields are especially useful in the case of new mothers who may carry the virus but are asymptomatic, Ustun added.

As a safety measure, the production of the shields is taking place inside the hospital, she said.

Ustun emphasised the importance of new mothers washing their hands with soap and water for over 20 seconds before breastfeeding and handling their babies.

The face shields may also protect babies from potential infections within hospitals.

On Wednesday, Turkey's top medical association accused the government of failing to protect health workers after close to 3,500 medical professionals were infected and 24 died of the coronavirus this month.

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