The Center for the Treatment of COVID-19 Infection started operations in Pavlov First St.Petersburg State Medical University on April 30, 2020, becoming the first federal institution in St. Petersburg to accept patients infected with the new coronavirus.
The Center is fully equipped and meets all the standards of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Inauguration preparations starting over two weeks ago were under the supervision of Federal Service on Surveillance for Consumer rights protection and human well-being. A sanitary checkpoint was created and personal protective equipment, as well as necessary medicines were stocked. The center is also fully staffed with specially trained personnel, that has received additional training in dealing with the COVID-19.
Currently, the Center has deployed 100 beds, while another 150 are expected to be added at a later stage. If necessary, the number of beds will be further increased. All beds are equipped with oxygen and 70% with mechanical ventilation devices.
The Center's admission is located on the basis of the inpatient emergency department of the University, which was created according to a special and innovative project. There are two computed tomography (CT scan) units, a laboratory with pneumatic dispatch , sufficient number of experts and areas for quick sorting and examination of arriving patients, in order to expedite ambulance operations, avoid queues and to facilitate quicker patient admission.
The center accepts patients with moderate and severe symptoms. Our medical professionals interacting with the patients have all been made aware of the dangers involved, so that they can best protect themselves.
Maintaining the health and safety of our staff is of critical importance for the functionality of the entire Center, upon which the city residents' well-being depends. The Center employees use over 1,000 disposable protective kits per day. To minimize the possibility of infection, upon leaving the contaminated zone at the end of their shift, all staff undergo mandatory aerosol treatment (fumigation) with the protective kit used during work on. This system, recently obtained from New York, has already been installed and it is fully operational.
In total, the Center currently employs roughly 200 people. Each shift lasts for 6 hours, after which employees return home. But for those employees normally living with elderly relatives or people with certain chronic diseases, there has been provision, so that they either rest in one of the University Clinics, where two floors have been equipped with 50 beds to accomodate them, or alternatively visit a local hotel.
