Hundreds of INUTEQ cooling vests developed for use by Dutch athletes at the Tokyo Olympics this summer have been donated for use in Dutch hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PCM-equipped pullovers, designed to help athletes cope with heat stress, became available when the Tokyo Games were postponed until 2021. The pullovers can be worn under the heavy, heat-trapping protective gear used by doctors and nurses.
The pullovers are manufactured in Netherlands. The cooling material is Croda's CrodaTherm 21, a biobased PCM with a melting temperature of 21 degrees C. The 1.3-kg pullover is a simple "one-size-fits-most" garment, with two adjustable buckles and no fabric shell.
“Doctors and nurses at the ICU, who are treating corona patients, can work comfortably for up to three hours longer thanks to this cooling vest," said Dr. Thijs Eijsvogels, physiologist at Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen. "The cooling vests ensure a stable body temperature, less sweating, maintenance of concentration and a faster recovery after each intensive work session.”
The pullover is marketed as "PCM CoolOver" on the INUTEQ website. It can be worn "under military combat gear, hazardous materials suits, mascot costumes and other professional apparel."
https://inuteq.com/pcm-coolover-medical-nl/pcm-coolover-medical-eng/
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