Business as (un)usual: engineers under lockdown [COVID-19 Flexible Working]

CORONAVIRUS HAS been widely dubbed “the biggest health challenge of a generation”, as experts race to come up with solutions to stem the spread of the virus and stop the soaring number of deaths. Of course, engineers are doing their bit in a wide variety of ways, whether they are staying home to prevent the spread of the virus, or performing vital manufacturing or maintenance to keep hospitals and homes running. Many manufacturing firms are churning out protective clothing for frontline staff, while some of the UK's largest industrial, technology and engineering businesses from across the aerospace, automotive and medical sectors have come together to produce ventilators. E&T talked to engineers under lockdown to find out how the different engineering disciplines are managing to keep calm and carry on.