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Trends in Mechanical Engineering & Technology

The Role of the Mechanical Engineers in Fighting Against COVID-19

  1. Rasha Alkabbanie

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratorysyndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, inDecember 2019. The disease has since spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic. Symptomsof COVID-19 are variable, but often include fever, cough, headache, fatigue, breathing difficulties,and loss of smell and taste. COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the world, obligating allscientific disciplines to be adapted to the new facts. The disease has infected millions of peoplearound the world. It resulted in a large number of deaths. The responsibility of facing this pandemicfalls upon on all members of the community. Huge efforts have been put through to stop the spread ofthe pandemic and to develop vaccines and medication. Professionals of different disciplines are doingtheir part to defeat this virus. Mechanical engineers are also contributing to responding to thispandemic. However, many mechanical engineers don’t know how to contribute their valuableknowledge and skills to fight against corona virus. The present study aims to review the mechanicalengineering controls to face the pandemic and how mechanical engineers offer their assistanceduring this crisis. The paper includes detailed explanations of some aspects where the mechanicalengineers contribute to tackling the pandemic such as fabricating the three dimensional printing offull-face shields, manufacturing ventilator splitters, inventing the nanohack mask, developing therobotic doctors and robots in workplaces and public places, improving the offsite construction ofhospitals, racing against time to produce more ventilators, designing and producing atmospherecontrol and filtering units.

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