Transport solutions for COVID-19
The impacts of the Corona pandemic will continue to affect our daily lives for some time to come, despite the progress made in vaccination. Air Alliance has developed different air ambulance transport solutions for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, depending on the patient’s condition and the routing We asked our deputy medical director, Stephan Klose, MD, what needs to be considered.
Which isolation pods are used and when will they be deployed?
Since 2020, two state-of-the-art isolation pods of the type “EpiShuttle” have been successfully operated at Air Alliance. In addition, since April 2021, we have another isolation unit, the Isovac CAPSULS™ system, which can also be used on smaller ambulance jets. With the Epishuttle isolation unit, we are able to safely transport patients of all severities of COVID-19 disease and provide them with comprehensive medical care. It is used on our Challenger 604 long-haul jets on routes worldwide. The Isovac Capsules System enhances our COVID-19 transport solutions in many ways. As a double isolation transport, two COVID-19 patients can be transported simultaneously in the Challenger 604. As a compact and flexible solution, Isovac Capsules can also be used in the Learjet fleet and provide a cost-effective alternative to the Epishuttle. The domain of transports in the Isovac Capsules system, however, is the transport of COVID-19 patients with milder courses of disease, especially on short and medium-haul routes. Therefore, not every patient can be transported in the Isovac Capsules System and the selection of the most suitable system is made by our medical department on the basis of clear protocols.
Can COVID-19 patients be flown without an isolation unit?
The safety of all staff involved is our top priority. At the same time, we offer our patients the best possible medical care. No isolation unit is required for flights of COVID-19 patients who are artificially ventilated with a breathing tube, as the airways, which are the main source of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, are connected to the ventilators via a closed system and high-quality filters effectively filter out exhaled viruses. Hygiene protocols also ensure safe management of all potentially contaminated surfaces and contact areas.
