Safety on demand: A case study for the design and manufacturing-on-demand of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the difficulties of countries and healthcare systems in preparing for major emergency situations. In the first month of the pandemic there was a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), thereby causing a rise in infection cases and deaths among healthcare workers (HCWs) in some countries. Moreover, the PPE used in hospitals today is not designed for prolonged use, and causes problems such as headaches and vision difficulties.