Containment Capsules Provide Safer Way To Treat Coronavirus Patients
BERKELEY (KPIX 5) -- Caretakers treating patients with the coronavirus are being exposed to the virus unnecessarily, according to researchers in Berkeley who claim they may have solution.
Doctors at the ALIN Foundation Institute in Berkeley say their care and germ containment capsules could help stop the spread of coronavirus.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
The researchers here are getting inquiries from around the world for more information on these potentially life-saving capsules.
The capsule is a clear plastic enclosure that allows patients to be safely treated without risk of exposing the virus' germs to medical staff. Doctors and nurses can use long-arm gloves attached to the capsule walls to hook up IVs, catherize the bladder or even intubate patients in respiratory distress.
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Dr. Kenneth Matsumara of the ALIN Foundation Institute says as it currently stands, the coronavirus is more contagious than the flu.
"This appears to be more contagious, but this is a very early stage and all scientists are still evaluating what this virus is about," said Dr. Matsumura.
The care and germ containment capsule was invented during the Ebola outbreak. Matsumara says the capsule would replace the need for hazmat suits that are disposable and can only be worn for a few hours at a time.
Containment capsules are reusable and vary in cost between $50,000 and $100,000 each, depending on what size model health care providers want.
Each of these capsules only takes a few days to make.
"Nothing that comes out of the enclosure would have any infectious material," explained Dr. Matsumura.
Even human waste from the capsule can be diverted to an incinerator instead of being flushed into the public sewer system.
The ALIN Foundation is hoping to get these capsules into the real world before it's too late.
