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Published on: April 6, 2019
Construction time, cost and testing data of a prefabricated isolation medical unit for COVID-19
Yu Zhou1, Zhonghua Zhang1, Bo Wang1
1China Construction Science and Technology Group Cooperation, Room 703, G3 Building, TCL international E-city Nanshan, Shenzhen, China.
Insights
A novel prefabricated negative pressure isolation unit was constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This study details its construction costs, timeline, and testing data, offering valuable insights for future medical facility development.
Area of Science:
- Medical Engineering
- Public Health
- Infectious Disease Control
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant global health threat, straining healthcare systems worldwide.
- High infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 necessitates specialized negative pressure isolation units to protect patients and healthcare workers.
- The need for rapid expansion of isolation facilities became critical during the pandemic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the design, construction, and costs of a novel prefabricated negative pressure isolation medical unit.
- To provide detailed construction time and testing data for this specialized medical facility.
- To offer practical guidelines for constructing or expanding isolation units during public health emergencies.
Main Methods:
- Design and construction of a prefabricated negative pressure isolation medical unit.
- Detailed recording of construction costs and project timeline.
- Performance testing of the isolation unit's negative pressure capabilities.
Main Results:
- The study presents comprehensive data on the construction cost and time investment for the isolation unit.
- Testing data confirms the efficacy of the negative pressure environment within the unit.
- Construction was successfully completed during a strict lockdown period in Shenzhen, China.
Conclusions:
- The prefabricated negative pressure isolation unit offers a viable solution for rapidly increasing isolation capacity during pandemics.
- The documented costs and timelines provide essential data for planning and executing similar projects.
- This case study offers valuable lessons for constructing emergency medical facilities under challenging circumstances.
Abstract:
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been identified as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The breakout of COVID-19 in various countries and regions brings a great threat to people's life and adds an unprecedented high pressure on healthcare systems. Due to the high infectivity of COVID-19, high standard negative pressure isolation units are required to accommodate the patients with COVID-19 and protect health workers. A novel prefabricated negative pressure isolation medical unit was designed and constructed in Shenzhen, China to help to accommodate the patients with COVID-19. This article provides detailed construction cost, time and testing data for this isolation medical unit. Considering the construction happened during the lockdown in Shenzhen (and in China), the construction cost and time can provide precious and rare information as well as guidelines to construct or expand appropriate medical facilities to accommodate the patients with COVID-19.
