Healthcare transport provider the HATS Group is fitting installing clean air technology in 100 vehicles to decrease exposure of patients and staff to the airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The vehicles will provide transport services to London hospitals dealing with the crisis and the use of the air filtration technology will help safeguard patients in confined spaces and reduce the risk of essential workers being exposed to the virus.
The technology can remove over 95% of airborne particles that pass through the filter, including those that can carry the virus.
AirLabs, which is providing HATS with its AirBubbl in-vehicle air filters to HATS, has published a white paper on how air filtration can reduce exposure to airborne viruses.
Ashley Stowell, advanced paramedic practitioner and clinical director for HATS, said: “We originally decided to install air filtration to protect our patients and our crews from London’s air pollution, as part of our ongoing commitment to the health and wellbeing of our staff. As the pandemic hit, it quickly became apparent that we could repurpose our vehicles to help transport patients infected by SARS-CoV-2.
“In order to do this we decided to ramp up installation, along with the rapid deployment of extra vehicles for a number of additional services, including ITU transfers of Covid-19 patients and maternity services to a number of Hospital Trusts across London, in a bid to help reduce the cross infection on this mountain we are all having to climb.”
