How this consumer healthcare firm is ramping up production of respirator flu masks to five million a month

Science-led consumer healthcare company Clinova is ramping up the production of its respirator flu masks to five million per month following ‘unprecedented’ demand.
Arsalan Karim, co-founder of consumer healthcare company Clinova. Pictured at Salts Mill. Picture: Gary Longbottom.Arsalan Karim, co-founder of consumer healthcare company Clinova. Pictured at Salts Mill. Picture: Gary Longbottom.
Arsalan Karim, co-founder of consumer healthcare company Clinova. Pictured at Salts Mill. Picture: Gary Longbottom.

Arsalan Karim, Shipley-based co-founder of the company, said the firm was increasing production from a million respirators a month to support the UK Government in providing both the NHS and key workers with the personal protective equipment needed to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Clinova first launched its Covaflu respirator masks in the UK in 2007, and they became popular during the Swine Flu and Avian Flu pandemics. However, Mr Karim said the present demand globally was unprecedented.

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The Covaflu respirator was the first product that the company’s founders designed when they launched the business, based on the epidemiological statistical probability that a viral pandemic was a “when” and not an “if”. The name itself is a combination of the words corona, virus and flu.

Clinova’s flagship version is its FFP2 respirator masks that help prevent viruses from entering the body through the mucous membranes of the mouth and nostrils. Their protective function is verified by the Europe-wide EN 149 standard, which verifies protection from Avian Flu, SRAS, Tuberculosis, as well as infection respiratory pathogens and bacteria.

The Covaflu FFP2 filters 94 per cent of particles and the masks comply with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) pandemic protection guidelines.

Clinova recently agreed to supply 500,000 of its flu masks for the staff at Lloyds Pharmacy, Britain’s second-largest pharmacy chain. Covaflu is also proving popular with front-line and key workers, Mr Karim said. In addition, Ocado and WHSmith have agreed to list Covaflu, to allow their customers fast access to the flu masks.  

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Arsalan Karim, director of research and development at Clinova, said: “We have increased the production of our masks by more than four million a month in order to support the essential work being done by the NHS at this time of increased need.

“It’s important that we ensure smooth supply for all UK-businesses, hospitals and pharmacies during the pandemic to ensure the ongoing safety of front-line workers.

“We have also added a section on the pandemic flu in our Caidr app, with detailed information on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and some tips on how to reduce the spread of the virus.”

Dr Tom Bracewell, Clinova chief medical officer, added: “The image of people wearing masks has become commonplace during the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. There is changing advice on who should be wearing masks, with the USA now adjusting to advise even healthy people to wear them. This was in part due to a review of evidence showing people can pass on the virus before they exhibit symptoms themselves.

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Masks offer different levels of protection depending on their ability to filter particles. One of most protective particle filtering masks is; FFP2/N95.”

He added: “Surgical masks that do not use particle filtering technology will give you protection from large droplets, but will not protect you from smaller airborne particles. Particle filtering masks such as Covaflu will filter at least 94 per cent of the airborne particles.

“What is clear is that if you are going to wear a mask, it should be good enough at filtering particles small enough to protect the virus from entering your body. Homemade masks are not regulated and may give a false sense of protection.”