COVID-19: INMAS certifies Indian Navy's PPE for mass production

The Indian Navy said on Thursday that its personal protective equipment (PPE) has been certified by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) for mass production and subsequent usage in clinical COVID-19 situations.

The INMAS in Delhi is an organization under the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) tasked with testing and certification of PPE, the Navy said in a statement.

"A team formed by the Innovation Cell, Institute of Naval Medicine, Mumbai, and the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, collaborated to design and produce PPE," it noted.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of coronavirus, which has infected more than 52,900 people and killed around 1,780 people in the country till now.

"Shortage of PPE during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is of serious concern as it imperils the well-being and availability of the healthcare workforce, apart from adversely impacting their security and morale," the Indian Navy stated.

"The PPE passed with 6/6 synthetic blood penetration resistance test pressure. Government of India mandates a minimum 3/6 and above level as per ISO 16603 standard and is thus certified to be mass produced and used in clinical COVID-19 situations," it noted.

The "outstanding" features of the PPE are its "simple, innovative and cost-effective design" and therefore, it can be made by basic gown manufacturing facilities, the Navy mentioned.