Diving masks on the donation shelves at Son Llàtzer Hospital. | Ultima Hora

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The severe lack of preventive material for Healthcare Professionals has led to some ingenious ideas for protection against COVID-19.

In Madrid a lot of people have been wearing Decathlon diving masks and it looks like they may have hit on a great idea. Son Llàtzer Hospital is now checking them out to see if they meet the necessary standards.

Hundreds of diving masks were donated to the hospital and it turns out they could be used for protection or as respirators for critically ill patients.

"If they are comfortable, if they are cleaned well, if the CO2 accumulates inside when you wear them, bring them in,” says Xisco Marí, Head of the Hospital Centre. "We know that putting in filters gives masks the same protection as an FFP2 and these filters can be made with 3D printers.”

Thousands of new protective masks arrived earlier this week but there is still a lack of respirators and Mari says "if necessary the diving masks will be used.”

Graphic showing how diving masks could be used as respirators