The combination of inquisitive students, a 3D printer and a Floyd hospitalist led to the donation of 20 face shields to the hospital on Tuesday.

Dr. Bernard Taylor, a hospitalist at Floyd Medical Center, delivered the plastic shields to the hospital. He was accompanied by his wife Alvira, daughter Chelsea and son Clifford. Chelsea is a rising eighth-grader and Clifford is a rising fifth-grader at Whitefield Academy in Cobb County, where the shields were made

Those who directly treat patients who test positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) or who are suspected of having the virus are required to wear a face shield and N95 mask along with full personal protective equipment, said Lee Clevenger, Director of Critical Care and Cardiovascular Services. Clevenger and Shannon Cooke, clinical manager of the Intensive Care Unit, were present to accept the donation.

While the shields do not totally block the transmission of airborne viruses, they do protect the eyes, face and masks from droplets released from sneezes and coughs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We had an idea, since everyone needs masks why don’t we make face shields also?” Clifford said. Using the 3D printer at the school just made sense, he added.

It takes one hour to print the plastic parts that hold the clear visor in place on the shields. A teacher helped the students cut out the clear part of the masks to fit on the plastic frame pieces.