Heat-resistant COVID-19 testing chambers put into operation to facilitate frontliners

An air-conditioned chamber has been put into operation in Tan Yen District Health Centre in Bac Giang province to facilitate frontline workers collecting samples for COVID-19 testing, amid the intense heat in the North in recent days.

Medical staff in Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province in a heat-resistant sampling chamber collecting samples for COVID-19 testing. (Photo: VNA)
Medical staff in Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province in a heat-resistant sampling chamber collecting samples for COVID-19 testing. (Photo: VNA)

The chamber, developed by a group from the Nam Viet Design Project, environmental monitoring organisation PAM Air and Hanoi’s Signify Foundation, aims to keep medical staff cool during their long-working hours under the heat, while helping minimise cross-infection.

In recent days, medical staff in Bac Giang had to race against time to take samples for testing. Working continuously under the hot weather in tight protective clothing makes the sampling work very hard. To remedy this situation, the designers focused on researching these anti-heat sampling chambers and initially tested them successfully.

A representative from the project said the special feature of this heat-resistant chamber lies in the flexibility of its design with cooling technology, DLCorp intelligent control and Philips UVC sterilisation solution.

Medical staff collecting samples for COVID-19 testing. (Photo: VNA)

The project has used IoT-connected smart products capable of real-time monitoring and control, ensuring a stable and safe environment. Accordingly, the IoT solution has the ability to actively control and start the fan and air conditioning system on time or according to environmental conditions, ensuring a stable room temperature, as well as monitoring air quality inside the chamber with indicators keeping track of CO2 concentration, fine dust (PM10, PM2.5), temperature, and humidity.

All IoT devices are directly monitored and controlled via a mobile app. The application of UVC solution helps to have a high sterilisation efficiency up to 99.99% compared to 36% when using chemicals, while taking effect almost immediately, seconds after activating.

With a about 1.2m x 2.4m x 2.65m, the medical team can sit inside a cool space, guaranteed to disinfect and put their hands through two small boxes on the window to get specimens. This solution helps ensure the health of the medical team, while improving the effectiveness of the COVID-19 response.

Inside the intelligent air-conditioned chamber. (Photo: VNA)

All surfaces are disinfected within eight minutes of being put into operation. In addition, the systems operate automatically and can be controlled remotely to help doctors reduce surface contact and focus more on sampling.

This intelligent testing chamber helps ensure safety and stabilises the quality of the environment for medical workers to increase their working efficiency. It is considered a practical solution and an optimal model capable of being widely replicated to support and protect frontline medical workers against the epidemic.

A project representative said that currently, the team can complete 50 products a week to help cope with the epidemic situation as it develops.

The chamber is expected to facilitate frontline workers in collecting samples, while protecting them from cross-infection. (Photo: VNA)