Coronavirus Fight: Teen Sets Up Operation To Make Face Shields For Doctors, Nurses
WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - School may be out, but 16-year-old Zuriel Joven is actually busier than ever.
The West Campus High School junior has spent his days isolating at home setting up a makeshift operation right in his bedroom. He designs, prints and pieces together face shields for doctors and nurses. He got the idea because both of his parents work in the medical field.
"My mom tells me about how little protection they have in the hospital because there are really dire shortages in the hospital and it really pains me that we're one of the strongest countries in the world and yet we're struggling with these shortages," said Joven.
Joven has raised $3,000 and recruited half a dozen people with 3D printers to help him.
"This is one of the best things we can do to help people who are risking their lives trying to help people right now," said fellow student and volunteer Zane Jahnsen.
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"It's pretty great because I've always wanted to help people in a certain way and then this whole virus thing came up," said another fellow student and volunteer Liam Sullivan.
Joven has redesigned the shield several times to cut costs and make the project more efficient. Each shield costs about $1 to make.
His parents are proud, to say the least.
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"I can't remember what I was doing when I was 16. Absolutely blows my mind how amazing he is, him and his team," Chimbee Joven said.
A project born out of love in one house now set to reach thousands in Sacramento hospitals.
Zuriel has mapped out the peak of the virus and says by the end of May, he plans to have made and distributed 2,000 face shields right into the hands of individual doctors and nurses.