Simplest Way to Establish COVID-19 Quarantine Observation Wards Within 24 Hours.

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Healthcare Engineering
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited availability of negative-pressure airborne infection isolation rooms for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
• Challenges in managing patient surges during infectious disease outbreaks.
• Need for rapid, cost-effective solutions to prevent nosocomial transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a simple, fast, and effective method for transforming general hospital wards into makeshift negative-pressure rooms.
• To determine optimal fan placement for effective pressure reversal.
• To assess the feasibility of rapid conversion within 24 hours.

Main Methods:

• Installation of air exhaust fans on windows to reverse airflow direction within wards.
• Testing fan placement at 90 cm from the floor and 90 cm from the bed.
• Monitoring noise levels to comply with government regulations (<60 dB(A)).

Main Results:

• General wards were successfully transformed into negative-pressure environments within 24 hours.
• Optimal fan placement was identified at 90 cm from the floor and bed, regardless of air conditioning status.
• The method proved simple, fast, and effective for creating makeshift isolation rooms.

Conclusions:

• Window exhaust fans offer a practical solution for rapidly increasing negative-pressure isolation capacity in hospitals.
• This approach can significantly aid in managing infectious patient surges and mitigating airborne disease transmission.
• The described transformation method is easily implementable and cost-effective for healthcare facilities.