Upata 500A Isolation Pod

1) About
The Upata 500A-Isolation Pod is intended both as a first responder isolation facility and as a hospital treatment isolation facility. The primary objective of the isolation pod is to provide a light weight and portable means of isolating infected or suspected cases of air borne viral infection. This will protect all other persons who come into close proximity with the infected person such as health care workers and family and thereby eliminate the risk of viral transmission.
Health facilities treating cases of the corona virus pose an elevated risk of onward viral transmission to the health care workers. It has been established that personal protective equipment is not always available to protect health care workers. It I therefore imperative that a means of isolating the virus from the environment is implemented.
The Upata 500-Isolation Pod provides a reliable barrier between the infected patient and their surroundings. The Isolation Pod was designed for confined isolation that extends to over two weeks. By confining only the upper body, the pod allows the patient freedom of movement for exercise and toilet functions while maintaining isolation. Two service portals fitted with rubber gloves ensure that medical staff can attend to the patient with no virus exposure to themselves from airborne water droplets should the patient cough or sneeze. By keeping the patient’s hands within the sealed pod, on surface viral transmission is eliminated.
The pod is designed to permit the user a wide diversity of daily routines such as reading, eating, watching TV, sleeping, sitting, standing, walking, chatting.
The large clear plastic apertures to the top and sides allow panoramic vision for the patient and thereby eliminating a sense of claustrophobia while permitting good visibility of the patient for the health care worker.

2) Construction
The Upata -500A Isolation Pod is comprised of a structural frame of fibre glass reinforced rods connected by polypropylene molded blocks. The frame is covered with a reinforced PVC sheet seam welded to clear PVA at the vision panels and rubber gloves for the service openings.
The structure has a heavy-duty nylon zip along the full length of the side and halfway up the rear allowing full opening for patient ingress and egress.

3) Controls
The isolation pod is fitted with Hepa filters on both the inlet and outlet which ensures that the incoming and outgoing air are filtered to remove 99.95% of viruses. A fan controlled by an electronic relay runs intermittently to provide regular air changes. The fan speed can be varied for user comfort using a control dial. The fan maintains a negative pressure of between 5 and 20Pa below ambient pressure with exhaust air ducted to the external.
A digital air quality monitor with an alarm monitors carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, fine dust and volatile organic compounds. The monitor has a clear colour LCD display and comes with a rechargeable battery and USB.
An anti-asphyxiation valve opens automatically on loss of negative pressure allowing unfiltered air directly into the filter as a safety measure.


Uses
1. Patient transportation in ambulance, helicopter or aeroplane
2. Inter ward patient transportation on stretcher or walking
3. Short term isolation of suspected corona cases
4. In-ward isolation with up to 25 pods per ward

4) Operation
1. Install air filter to Inlet line
2. Install air filter to ventilation outlet on the back panel
3. Install gloves into patient service ports
4. Connect air pump or to hospital compressed air supply
5. Lay the Upata 500 Isolation Pod on a level surface to receive the patient such as a bed or stretcher with the tapered end at waist position.
6. Lay the patient on the base fabric facing up
7. Insert the framing rods into the connector blocks to form two arches across the pod
8. Draw fabric over the arches and zip closed
9. Adjust waste straps to suit patient and secure with belt and buckle
10. Ensure air flow into pod