A dentist in Oklahoma is asking for donated sleep apnea machines to create respirator masks for front-line healthcare workers, CBS affiliate News On 6 reports.
Frank Henrich, DDS, a dentist in Tulsa, Okla., said Hunter Engineering asked for CPAP machines to build powered air purifying respirators. The respirators would help protect workers treating COVID-19 patients, with a team preparing the device to submit to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
"I actually took it apart and got the motor out of it," Dr. Henrich said. "I will send that to Hunter Engineering and then those will be upcycled to make the respirators."
If approved, the respirators could be used in hospitals across the U.S.