WACO, Texas — Healthcare workers have been wearing masks for long periods of time, so Baylor University began printing hundreds of bands to help them be more comfortable.
Andrew Telep, assistant director of the Experiential Learning Commons (ELC) at Baylor Libraries said it began with his personal connection with the chief of staff at the Waco Family Health Center.
"Healthcare workers are swearing surgical masks that tie around the ear, and turns out they're not comfortable when you work long days," Telep said.
He wanted to make good use of Baylor's 3D printers as well as provide aid for healthcare workers. The Family Health Center expressed an interest in tension relief bands to make their masks more comfortable to wear.
Telep found a model online, took home the school's 3D printers and began making them.
"The clip that we designed looks like this and it goes behind the head and then you can put the elastics on these instead of around the ears," Telep said.
In just a week he and his family made 550 3D printed tension-relief bands for staff at the Waco Family Health Center and 350 for Baylor Scott & White.
"As a community I think we're at peak generosity wanting to help one another and find ways to plug in, and so I'm grateful to have found a little one that makes sense for me that helps our local healthcare workers," Telep said.
There are hundreds of healthcare related object they can 3D print, according to Telep. He said they will be looking into other ways Baylor can use their resources to help healthcare workers during this crisis.