This past year has been challenging for many hospitals and medical facilities as they are over-burdened and under staffed when it comes to testing patients for COVID-19. Now that a vaccine is available, those, too, will strain the capacity of hospitals and staff. Many popup sites are being used as temporary off-site testing areas to keep people out of the main hospital, while efficiently testing hundreds of people a day.
In the warm weather, tents could be set up to act as testing centers, but with cooler weather here, the need for something a bit more stable and warm is upon us. That’s why many municipalities, pharmacies and hospitals are turning to shipping containers to be used as walk-up COVID-19 testing sites. Here’s how.
Benefits of Portable Virus Testing Centers
Portable storage containers can be retrofitted to accommodate testing centers, complete with shelving, cold storage, cabinetry, filing cabinets, seating areas, triage areas, and more. This allows health professionals to perform the tests at a safe distance and with the proper supplies. You can choose from walk-up or drive-thru designs.
Such containers can also be equipped with:
- Security cameras
- Sensors
- Digital communications equipment
- Hand wash stations
- Biohazard waste bins
- Shelving/cabinets
- Counters
- Water coolers
- Electrical panels
- Heat and AC
- Computer racks
- Communications panels
- Hand sanitizer dispensers
- Swing doors for entry and exit
Such walk-up boxes can feature up to four stations on the interior designed to separate healthcare workers from those undergoing testing. From windows to collapsible canopies to shelter those waiting outside, there is no limit to the modifications that can be made to convert simple storage containers into testing sites.
Such walk-up or drive-through centers are meant to encourage contactless encounters. Plexiglass can separate healthcare workers from patients, with holes cut out where people can receive their test or vaccine.
Not only are these testing facilities affordable, they are eco-friendly, and can be set down just about anywhere – from hospital parking lots to stadium parking lots. They offer a sustainable alternative to standard construction methods, requiring a much smaller footprint at a fraction of the price and can be put together in no time. They’re delivered directly to the site and are assembled according to the testing site’s specific needs. One can be up and running essentially in a day or two.
The need for walk-up or drive-thru testing centers as we continue to navigate through the pandemic will be on the rise. Many will be used as both testing sites and vaccine delivery sites by qualified healthcare personnel.
Contact A&M Container
If you need to buy a container to be used as a walk-up testing site, contact us for a free price quote.