COVID safe rooms deployed in WA

Ten portable isolation rooms have been deployed across Western Australia as the state prepares for the possible spread of COVID-19.

WA Health Minister, Roger Cook said the Safespear anterooms are able to convert any room into a negative pressure or positive pressure isolation room to keep infected patients in a safe, separate space, while protecting vulnerable patients from the threat of infectious diseases. 

“Although Western Australia’s COVID-19 case numbers remain very encouraging, we cannot afford to become complacent,” said Minister Cook.

“By securing the portable anterooms, Western Australia will be even better prepared to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in regional and remote communities where hospital isolation room facilities are limited or unavailable.” 

Mr Cook said six of the anterooms would be deployed in regional and remote Western Australians, with the remaining four to be held in a central location for deployment to WA metropolitan hospitals, if necessary.

Safespear is a local Western Australian, Aboriginal-owned business which is engaging with local manufacturers to create the anterooms.

“Residents in regional WA can be confident the McGowan Government has a plan in place, providing a blueprint for the ongoing management of COVID-19,” said Mr cook.     

The anterooms fit to an existing doorway and form an airlock entrance with the accompanying ventilation systems creating negative or positive pressure to prevent infectious airborne or droplet transmission.

The rooms will be deployed to WA Country Health Service locations including: Derby in the Kimberley; Carnarvon and Geraldton in the Midwest health region; Esperance in the Goldfields; Katanning in the Great Southern; and Collie in the South-West.

Mr Cook said the portable nature of the specialised rooms meant they could be transported quickly to other sites if required.