Emergence of Covid-19 and Increasing Adoption of Oxygen Therapy to Boost Demand for Oxygen Concentrators

 

An oxygen concentrator is used in oxygen therapy for people who need more oxygen than the normal levels of oxygen in the air. This concentrates oxygen molecules in a compressed form to deliver higher doses of oxygen to a patient. The concentrated oxygen can be used for short durations or as a regular supply of oxygen during emergencies. Some concentrators are portable and may be used in the comfort of home.

Oxygen concentrators are battery-powered and are very similar to an oxygen tank but typically smaller in size and more portable. Most concentrators have a first cylinder, which is the tank holding the oxygen, and two cylinders that are used in the same procedure - a second cylinder for the supplemental oxygen if needed and the oxygen concentrator itself. The tank is designed to release oxygen into the first cylinder slowly and steadily, and releases it slowly into the second cylinder when the pressure in the first cylinder is reached. The system is designed to distribute oxygen in a steady stream throughout the patient's body without a drop in oxygen saturation. A concentrator has the capability to deliver up to 0.3 atmospheres of pure oxygen. Using an oxygen concentrator properly ensures the patient receives the proper levels of oxygen and does not suffer from low oxygen levels while waiting for the therapy to take effect. An improper administration of an oxygen concentrator can cause low oxygen levels in the patient.

Oxygen concentrators are used during oxygen therapy. The therapy is commonly used by individuals with chronic illnesses or those who suffer from respiratory diseases such as Covid-19. Thus, the emergence of Covid-19 is expected to boost demand for these concentrators. For instance, in the U.S., from Jan 3 to 5:40pm CET, 12 January 2021, there have been 22,229,803 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 371,375 deaths, as reported to the World Health Organization. Emergence of Covid-19 has also led to development and launch of portable concentrators. For instance, in October 2019, OxygenToGo, LLC, a Wyoming, U.S.-based provider of portable oxygen concentrators and services for oxygen-dependent travelers, partnered with Virgin Atlantic to provide portable oxygen concentrators for Virgin Atlantic passengers requiring medical oxygen onboard flights.