By Michael Hollan | Fox News
Pizza ovens aren't just for pizza anymore.
A restaurant in Chicago is using its pizza oven to help out local healthcare workers during the coronavirus outbreak. Aside from just making pizzas, the establishment is using the oven to make much-needed face shields.
Dimo's Pizza teamed up with Avenue Metal to produce prototypes for the shields, Block Club Chicago reports. They hope to be able to work with local hospitals to provide the medical supplies.
"We are used to making things very quickly, in large quantities, very cleanly. It's like a win-win. Buy local," Dimo's Pizza's owner Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau told Block Club Chicago. "I would love to up my hours to produce face shields."
According to the outlet, the pizza ovens are capable of heating pieces of acrylic to the point where it becomes malleable. The plan is to then set it in a mold until it cools. Velcro and foam are then added, to form the shield.
They reportedly hope to have a final prototype ready soon.
Dimo's Pizza still intends on cooking pizzas. Like many restaurants during this time period, it has been donating food to local hospitals to help out healthcare workers who have been working tirelessly to fight the ongoing pandemic.
"I feel like that's what's called for so that's what we're trying to do," Syrkin-Nikolau told the news outlet.
"When you think about war, soldiers are on the front line," Syrkin-Nikolau explained. "In this situation, it's our medical workers on the front line."
Like many other restaurants around the country, Dimo's is providing take-out and pick up to help curb the spread of COVID-19.