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Crucial

Mercedes Formula One team helps develop breathing aid for coronavirus patients

The Mercedes F1 team has helped create a potentially life-saving breathing aid to help coronavirus patients.

Mercedes has been working alongside engineers from University College London (UCL) to develop the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which the NHS has approved.

 The device could help save several lives
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The device could help save several livesCredit: University College London (UCL)

The technology has been used in China, where coronavirus originated from, and in hospitals in Italy, the worst-hit country of the pandemic.

The CPAP device helps patients with serious lung infections breathe more easily when oxygen alone does not prove sufficient.

One hundred are now being delivered to UCLH for clinical trials, with the aim of then rolling them out in vast numbers to hospitals around the UK.

Professor Mervyn Singer, who is a critical care consultant at UCL Hospital, said: "These devices will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most severely ill.

"While they will be tested at UCL Hospital first, we hope they will make a real difference to hospitals across the UK by reducing demand on intensive care staff and beds, as well as helping patients recover without the need for more invasive ventilation."

The coronavirus outbreak has infected more than 700,000 people and claimed over 30,000 lives worldwide.

 The equipment was made by Mercedes and engineers from University College London (UCL)
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The equipment was made by Mercedes and engineers from University College London (UCL)Credit: University College London (UCL)

According to reports in Italy, approximately 50 per cent of patients who have been given CPAP have not needed a ventilator, a piece of equipment the UK is short of.

Mercedes are also among seven UK-based Formula One teams working on manufacturing ventilators to assist with the treatment of the coronavirus nationwide.

McLaren, Red Bull, Racing Point, Haas, Renault and Williams are also collectively part of 'Project Pitlane', seeking to pool their engineering expertise to provide much-needed medical devices.

A statement from F1 read: "The seven teams' combined efforts, termed 'Project Pitlane', are part of a UK industry-wide effort to manufacture and deliver respiratory devices to support the national need.

"Project Pitlane is focused on three workstreams. These workstreams vary in scope from reverse engineering existing medical devices, to support in scaling the production of existing ventilator designs, to the rapid design and prototype manufacture of a new device.

"Project Pitlane will pool the resources and capabilities of its member teams to greatest effect, focusing on the core skills of the F1 industry: rapid design, prototype manufacture, test and skilled assembly.

"F1's unique ability to rapidly respond to engineering and technological challenges allows the group to add value to the wider engineering industry's response.

"The seven teams remain ready to support in other areas requiring rapid, innovative technology responses to the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic."

In the UK, more than 19,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus, with the death toll at 1,228, as of Monday, March 30.

Give COVID-19 the red card

The quicker we work together to stop coronavirus spreading, the sooner we can get back into the pubs, the gyms and stadiums and arenas to see live sport again...

STAY AT HOME. Only leave for the following purposes:

  • to shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to
  • to do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with
  • for any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person
  • to travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary

For more info and tips, visit the NHS website.

The government has also issued further detail on what we can do during lockdown.

Everyone should do what they can to stop coronavirus spreading.

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