Coronavirus response: Czech and Serbian cooperation helps develop new medical protective masks

  • 16 Apr. 2020 -
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  • Last updated: 16 Apr. 2020 12:53

The Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence (NBC) Institute of the University of Defence in Brno, Czech Republic is providing an effective contribution to the fight against the spread of the coronavirus, using a NATO cooperation framework.

Half mask from the Serbian company Trayal corporation with screwed P3 filter


Hermann Brno ultrasonic equipment for welding of a P3 particle filter body from the Sigma Group from the Czech Republic.

Building on a project together with Serbian chemical experts for the development of filters for protective masks for military purposes, specialists from the Czech Republic and Serbia worked together with production companies to create a new high-quality medical protective mask.

The Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence (NBC) Institute of the University of Defence in Brno in the Czech Republic and the Military Academy in Belgrade have been cooperating since 2017 in the framework of the NATO Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP). Their aim is to develop and test new barrier materials, to be manufactured by companies in both countries.

Under the auspices of the Czech Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence (NBC) Institute, Czech and Serbian production companies agreed to join forces in order to respond quickly to the lack of high-quality respiratory protective equipment against the coronavirus.

The Czech company Sigma Group based in Lutin created effective rubber half masks equipped with the high-quality particle filters developed in cooperation with the Serbian company Trayal from Krusevac. The masks are able to ensure highly effective protection of medical personnel and those who perform demanding tasks in contact with infected or potentially infected persons. 

The manufacturing companies are now expected to activate production capacities to deliver the high-quality protective equipment to the market.

The NATO Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) is designed to build, develop and reform military educational institutions.