SIR Flat CAP (Safety In Radiology - Flat-Packed Compact Airborne Precaution): A Low-Cost, Portable, Negative-Pressure Isolation Barrier Shield for Protecting Frontline Healthcare Workers

IntroductionMultiple barrier shields have been described since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these are bulky and designed for use in the main anesthetic or radiology departments.We developed a portable, negative-pressure barrier shield designed specifically for portable ultrasound examinations. A novel supine cough generation model was developed together with a reverse qualitative fit test to simulate real-world aerosol droplet generation and dispersion for evaluating the effectiveness of the barrier shield. We report the technical specifications of this design, named “SIR Flat CAP” from Safety In Radiology - Flat-packed Compact Airborne Precaution, as well as its performance in reducing the spread of droplets and aerosols. MethodsThe barrier shield was constructed using 1 mm acrylic panels, clear packing tape, foam double-sided tape, and surgical drapes. Negative pressure was provided via hospital wall suction.A supine cough generation model was developed to simulate cough droplet dispersal. A reverse qualitative fit test was used to assess for airborne transmission of microdroplets.ResultsThe supine cough generation model was able to replicate similar results to previously reported supine human cough generation dispersion. The use of the barrier shield with negative-pressure suction prevented the escape of visible droplets, and no airborne microdroplets were detected by reverse qualitative fit testing from the containment area.ConclusionsThe barrier shield significantly reduces the escape of visible and airborne droplets from the containment area, providing an additional layer of protection to front-line sonographers.