Negative Pressure Rooms Could Help In Battle To Contain Coronavirus
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – Doctors who are participating in the fight to control the spreading coronavirus may end up using special negative pressure rooms to help isolate the virus.
In the city and county of San Francisco, there are 100 negative pressure rooms. The highly specialized medical units are equipped with ventilation so the air only flows into the room and not out onto the hospital floor, exposing medically compromised patients to infectious diseases.
The rooms are typically used for patients suffering from tuberculosis, measles and chickenpox, but could become vital in treating severe cases of COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus.
Inside Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, there are 50 negative pressure rooms. There are two doors to get from the hallway to the patient. The first door takes you into an anteroom stocked with personal protective equipment for medical personnel.