Medical face shield can become as ubiquitous as masks, as new findings on the airborne spread of Covid-19 influence behavior and guidelines. According to a latest study by Future Market Insights, medical face shields market will grow at over 11% CAGR through 2030.
Medical face shields prove to be an effective means for first line protection against airborne diseases like Zika, SARS, Ebola, flu, and now – Covid-19. As such, increase in adoption of medical face shields, and, in turn, increase in their production is expected to drive the market in the forecast period.
Key Takeaways of Medical Face Shield Market
- Polycarbonate remains the material of choice for medical face shield manufacturers
- Anti-fog medical face shields likely to witness higher demand than other variants
- Disposable medical face shields will outsell reusable, as consumers look to minimize the threat of infection
- Sales through online channels likely to offset sluggishness in pharmacies and specialty stores
The medical face shield market of 2020 and beyond will be starkly different from 2019 and before. Foray of new players, launch of innovative shields, branding & marketing, and production processes – all are set to witness a change–the analyst.
The IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America) has, in its recommendations, included use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) like face shields and masks. Though masks have been widely adopted all across, their effectiveness is not that well-known.
The possibility of masks providing marginal protection against virus owing to potential moisture retention, poor filtration, and re-use of cloth masks can’t be ruled out.
On the contrary, face shields are more useful in mitigating respiratory viruses’ transmission like SARS-CoV-2, which would help in minimizing droplets and contacting transmission. However, studies have also pointed out that face shields may not effective in the absence of a masks.
According to Future Market Insights’ analysis, use of medical face shields, used in conjunction with face masks, is being explored, and it is highly likely that sales will soar dramatically in the next six months or so.
Customizable Face Shields Can Become a Reality as Pandemic Lingers On
Medical face shields available in the present scenario are meant for adults. However, child-sized face shields, that too, with interchangeable decorations are being designed now by Meta form Architects for children who have started going back to school.
These masks have been designed for children who fall in the age group of 4 to 8. There are also studs for securing personalized embellishments like googley eyes, animal ears or crowns.
Short-term Spike and Steady Growth in Long Run
According to Future Market Insights’ analysis, the staggering growth in the medical face shield market will be heavily dependent on pharmaceutical interventions to tackle COVID-19. However, even after the availability of a vaccine, it is likely that prevention better than cure approach will drive use.
“There is a growing consensus that Covid-19 may become endemic like coronaviruses. Till the time vaccines are available on a large scale, use of face shields and face masks will remain high. However, the long-term forecast on the market remains steady, as people are likely to take a preventive approach,” says the FMI analyst.
