YORK HAVEN, Pa. — David Shefet saw the reports on the news about the growing lack of essential supplies in hospitals and nursing homes. He realized he had the ability to help change that.
Shefet, president of York County-based manufacturing company Daisy Data Displays, asked his employees to repurpose their work. Daisy Data more commonly uses its 3-D printers and laser cutters to make durable computers parts for the U.S. military, oil and gas companies, pharmaceutical workers, and others. Now, they're using those resources to make face shields and masks for hospitals and nursing homes in South Central Pennsylvania, which desperately need the supplies while fighting COVID-19.
"What we do on a day-to-day basis is essential and important, but we don’t see that in the local community," said company Vice President Michael Hadaway. "This allows us to help more closer to where we have our roots."
Hadaway estimates Daisy Data Displays is able to make 250 polymer material face shields a week, and the same amount of high quality face masks. With the face masks, they then cut out a section in the front, which allows medical workers to put an N95 filter near the mouth and nose.
Daisy has been donating the masks to hospitals in the Wellspan network, and face shields to Geisinger Holy Spirit hospital in Cumberland County, and the Lancashire Hall nursing home in Lancaster.
"When you deliver these face shields to the front line workers and you see the appreciation in their eyes, that’s all the satisfaction you need," Hadaway said.