NEW equipment to protect frontline NHS staff during the coronavirus pandemic has been developed in Hampshire.

This mask, named PeRSo, was created in a project led by University of Southampton professors Paul Elkington and Hywel Morgan.

It will provide better protection than standard surgical masks, which have been found to fail in a substantial number of cases and are particularly unreliable when talking or after longer use.

Although not formally tested for durability, the project team say there is no obvious reason for the respirator to not last six months.

Professor Paul Elkington said: “We must minimise the risk of infection for medical staff and stop them getting sick at the peak of the pandemic, so that they can care for others.

"The engineering team have rapidly developed something simple yet effective. The HEPA filtered air removes 99.95% of particulate matter and the face mask protects from splashes, and so we think this will reduce the risk of infection."

PeRSo has been evaluated by respiratory physicians, the director of infection prevention, the divisional director and a respiratory nurse specialist. Feedback has been "all very positive".

The team are now in daily contact with manufacturers to make sure that once the prototype’s safety and resilience is demonstrated, and once they have obtained the necessary certification, manufacturing of the product in large numbers can begin straight away.

If given further support, they would like to develop variations, such as the PeRSo-DW (Developing world, made from widely available cheap materials), PeRSo-GP (front mounted so that it can be used during seated consultations), and the PeRSo-Camel (with a drinking hose for prolonged surgery on COVID infected individuals).