Nassau County

Nassau County sign shop creating acrylic shields to protect hospital workers, families from COVID-19

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — A Nassau County business is doing its part to protect families across the country from the coronavirus.

Wednesday, the acrylic cutting machine at FASTSIGNS in Fernandina Beach was up and running even though the pandemic was slowing down business.

Owner, Eric Webb told Action News Jax, “With resorts and businesses closing, you can imagine, business has kind of dropped off the edge of a cliff.”

He said a brief conversation with a health worker had his team brainstorming.

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The owner explained to Action News Jax’s Beth Rousseau they came up with a way to slow the spread of COVID-19 using the materials that were already in the ship.

“We’re making acrylic shields to put on counters, in front desks, so that it protects not only the employee, but the person, customer or patient,” Webb said.

The team started creating intubation boxes Wednesday at the request of a local nurse.

“Once we found out we can make those, we donated the first one to get it there as fast as we can. They’re just ecstatic,” Webb said.

Shields are already up at Baptist Medical Center’s campus in Nassau County, according to Webb.

He said they’re working on orders for clinics in the county and sharing their designs with other FASTSIGNS franchises across North America.

“Its not only physical protection but the peace of mind too that’s really important since ever one is really worried with unknowns out there,” Webb said.