Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , Clinical Laboratory Techniques/economics , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Health Services Accessibility/economics , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Testing , Clinical Laboratory Techniques/trends , Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis , Coronavirus Infections/economics , Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Global Health , Humans , Hygiene/education , International Cooperation , Pandemics/economics , Pandemics/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis , Pneumonia, Viral/economics , Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control , Poverty/ethics , Racism , SARS-CoV-2 , Social MarginalizationABSTRACT
As COVID-19 cases continue to increase globally, fragile health systems already facing challenges with health system infrastructure, SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic capacity, and patient isolation capabilities may be left with few options to effectively care for acutely ill patients. Haiti-with only two laboratories that can perform reverse transcriptase PCR for SARS-CoV-2, a paucity of hospital beds, and an exponential increase in cases-provides an example that underpins the need for immediate infrastructure solutions for the crisis. We present two COVID-19 treatment center designs that leverage lessons learned from previous outbreaks of communicable infectious diseases and provide potential solutions when caseload exceeds existing capacity, with and without access to SARS-CoV-2 testing. These designs are intended for settings in which health facilities and testing resources for COVID-19 are surpassed during the pandemic, are adaptable to local conditions and constraints, and mitigate the likelihood of nosocomial transmission while offering an option to care for hospitalized patients.