AN air filtration machine developed by a Malmesbury inventor is helping NHS hospitals in London and the Midlands to fight the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew Carnegie is supplying intensive care units at several hospitals including Ealing, London, and Nottingham, with his Air Sentry air filter machine that he started developing nearly 20 years ago.

Mr Carnegie, 57, has already supplied the village shop in Great Somerford and the Volunteer Inn with his ultra-clean machines to help keep their staff and customers safe.

Ealing hospital has recently taken delivery of a further seven machines and now has a total of 15 operating in its wards.

Mr Carnegie said: “If you maintain air as very clean then it is very difficult to catch any disease which is airborne.

"My ultra-low particulate air filter machine is one step better than a high efficiency particulate air filter and is helping to keep the air clean and prevent infection."

The unique system, recently awarded design protection by the UK patent office, has been sold to hospitals to protect patients and staff from disease.

Particle testing has shown that an eight-bed respiratory support area holding four continuous positive airway pressure patients and four ventilated patients had levels 50 per cent lower than the ICU nursing station used as a reference.

Both areas were deemed as ultra-clean but from an air quality perspective it was safer on the Covid ward than in the non-Covid area.

Mr Carnegie added: “During the coronavirus it has been used to protect staff in London intensive care units, special Covid wards and accident and emergency departments.

“The system is manufactured almost wholly in Wiltshire and is a Wiltshire innovation that has taken 20 years of working alongside the NHS to bring to fruition.”

He has already sold 350 of his machines to health services and is in talks with more hospitals about supplying the machines which cost up to £10,000.

Mr Carnegie expects sales to rocket following new medical advice about airborne particles which can cause coronavirus.

He has already supplied machines to Germany and the Philippines and has received interest from Mexico and Japan.

He said: “It is very exciting. It is starting to roll and is a real win-win situation. Only now is evidence starting to emerge to show how my machine could help.

“As a small business, we are just starting to expand and have created seven new jobs since August. The market is now bigger than just hospitals.

“I have recently supplied British Gypsum, which has put my machines in some of its offices. You can’t catch what is not there and my machines are helping to maintain a safe environment.

“My machines are helping the NHS and others to operate in a Covid-safe manner.”

The machines are being assembled in Great Somerford with metalwork supplied by Sweetnam & Bradley in Malmesbury and electronic parts by Wootton Bassett Electronic Systems in Royal Wootton Bassett

Mr Carnegie’s team are knocking out 25-40 units a week for distribution to customers and the business is likely to expand even more as demand grows in the UK and worldwide.