Dr Doan Ngoc Hai (L), head of the National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, under the Ministry of Health, introduces protective clothing equipped with air-cooling fans - PHOTO: SUCKHOEDOISONG.VN

HCMC - Protective gear equipped with air-cooling fans will soon be delivered to frontline medical workers to help them sustain a healthy body temperature in the hot weather during the fight against Covid-19.

Dr Doan Ngoc Hai, head of the National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, under the Ministry of Health, said that the protective clothing was equipped with two fans with the functions of creating an airflow and purifying the air to cool down the body temperature of medical workers.

The fans are designed to run on batteries for 10 hours, helping medical workers to work more comfortably.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health had assigned the relevant agencies to do research and manufacture protective gear, which could create an airflow and keep workers cool, said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son.

If successful, these protective suits will be delivered to medical workers in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic as soon as possible, he added.

Experts expect the protective clothing with air-cooling fans to be the best solution for frontline medical workers during the current scorching weather. These protective gears will be brought to Bac Giang Province in the initial period and then be provided to all medical workers.

In related news, the HCMC Center for Disease Control has warned that the risk of Covid-19 transmission in office buildings was high as offices had their windows closed, no ventilation and air-conditioners on.

Using the same elevators, meeting rooms, canteens, rest-rooms, parking lots and lounges might pose a high risk of cross infection.

To reduce the risk of infection, the municipal center proposed firms open windows and doors and use fans in their offices and meeting rooms to boost ventilation.

Besides, the firms in the office buildings were told to avoid gatherings of over 10 workers in a room and ask them to wear face masks in their rooms.

In addition, firms should allow workers to work in shifts and reschedule work timings and breaks to reduce the number of workers in an area at the same time and hold online meetings rather than offline ones to prevent the spread of Covid-19.