Personal pop-up pods

A personal pop-up pod comprising:

• an interior chamber formed by a connection of a front panel, a rear panel, a left side panel, a right side panel, and a top panel, the interior chamber also being bounded by an open bottom opposite the top panel;
• a first arm aperture formed in the rear panel;
• and
• a second arm aperture formed in the rear panel,
• wherein a bottom edge of the front panel includes an elastic strip positioned along the bottom edge such that the bottom edge of the front panel may closely conform around a neck or shoulder region of a patient when the personal pop-up pod is placed such that the interior chamber is on top of and encloses the patient's head, and
• the first arm aperture comprises:
• a first flap of material secured to the rear panel and including a first edge and a first elastic member secured along the first edge;
• a second flap of material secured to the rear panel proximate to the first flap of material and including a second edge and a second elastic member secured along the second edge;
• and
• a first slit formed between the first edge and the second edge;
• and
• the second arm aperture comprises:
• a third flap of material secured to the rear panel and including a third edge and a third elastic member secured along the third edge;
• a fourth flap of material secured to the rear panel proximate to the third flap of material and including a fourth edge and a fourth elastic member secured along the fourth edge;
• and
• a second slit formed between the third edge and the fourth edge.

A method for controlling spread of communicable diseases when a medical caregiver treats a patient, the method comprising:

• providing a personal pop-up pod before initiating treatment of the patient, the personal pop-up pod comprising:
• an interior chamber formed by a connection of a front panel, a rear panel, a left side panel, a right side panel, and a top panel, the interior chamber also being bounded by an open bottom opposite the top panel;
• a first arm aperture formed in the rear panel;
• a second arm aperture formed in the rear panel;
• and
• an elastic strip positioned along a bottom edge of the front panel;
• installing the personal pop-up pod over a head of the patient by laying the personal pop-up pod over the patient's head at the open bottom, and such that the bottom edge of the front panel closely conforms around a neck or shoulder region of the patient;
• maintaining the personal pop-up pod in position over the patient's head during treatment of the patient to resist transmissions of airborne pathogens from the patient to the medical caregiver, wherein the medical caregiver accesses the patient using at least the first and second arm apertures;
• selectively opening one or more windows provided by flaps of material and zipper closures provided in one or more of the left side panel, the right side panel, and the top panel, wherein each of the windows is larger in size than openings defined in the first and second arm apertures;
• and
• accessing the interior chamber with larger size medical devices and instruments via insertion through the one or more windows when opened, to thereby treat the patient in the interior chamber with these larger size medical devices and instruments.