This Alberta teen is 3D printing face shields for health care workers

Owen Plumb, 13, of Okotoks, Alberta isn’t the only Canadian making the news for stepping up to create PPE (personal protective equipment) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but he is certainly one of the youngest. Plumb, who's currently in grade nine, received a 3D printer for Christmas last year, which he’s now using to make plastic face shields for health care workers.

The pattern Plumb is using was created and distributed by Prusa, the printer’s Czech manufacturer, to empower citizens across the world to help create PPE. Though the pattern has yet to be approved by Canadian health authorities, Plumb and others are working to assemble stockpiles to be distributed as soon as they get the green light.

Plumb notes that there are many other ways people can step in to help their communities during the pandemic: "From sending care packages to care homes to sewing face masks, there's a lot that you can do to help others than just self-isolating — which is still one of the best things you can do — but there is more that we can do as a community to help as young people," he told CBC Calgary.

Sources: CBC, Twitter