During the first Covid-19 wave, our paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), like many others across the globe, was transformed into an adult ICU for patients with severe Covid-19, due to a shortage of adult ICU beds. Here, we provide a comprehensive description of all the conditions that must be fulfilled to successfully accomplish this transformation. Strong support from all hospital departments was crucial, as their activity was modified by the change. Healthcare workers from various units, notably the paediatric anaesthesiology department, worked in the adult ICU to ensure sufficient staffing. The number of physiotherapists and psychologists was increased. A support system for both healthcare workers and patients’ relatives was set up with the help of the mobile paediatric palliative care and support team. Supplies suitable for adults were ordered. Protocols for numerous procedures were written within a few days. Video tutorials, checklists, and simulation sessions were circulated to the entire staff. The head nurses guided and supported the new staff and usual PICU staff. The transformation was achieved within a week. The main difficulties were healthcare worker stress, changes in recommendations over time, absence of visits from relatives, and specific adult issues that paediatricians are unfamiliar with. Conclusion : For the staff, caring for adult patients was made easier by working in their familiar unit instead of being moved to an adult hospital with unfamiliar staff members and equipment. Strong support from the hospital and the assistance of consultants from adult hospital departments were crucial. What is Known: • The dramatic spread across the world of coronavirus disease 2019 generated critical care needs that drastically exceeded resources in many countries worldwide. • Paediatric ICU activity during this period decreased due to lockdown measures and the fact that children rarely required ICU for coronavirus disease 2019. What is New: • We describe how an 18-bed adult Covid-19 ICU was successfully set up in a paediatric hospital during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. • Specific requirements regarding supply, human resources, and procedures, as well as difficulties encountered, are described.
Air pollution is the world’s largest environmental health risk, accounting yearly for about 8 million deaths. Most of the people spend 80% to 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has a direct impact on overall health. In this paper, a robot, equipped with sensors for measuring IAQ parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, CO2, Particulate Matters and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) is used to measure these parameters and compare the measured values to the pre-set permissible levels of concentrations of such parameters. If one (or more) of the measured values exceed the pre-set threshold values, the measured values are communicated to the user via a mobile application and the robot will take a corrective action by disinfecting the place using a sterilizing solution. Validation of the methodology was verified at an educational institute in Alexandria, Egypt.
In the original published version of this article, the Collaborators' names were not presented in the authorship section. The names correctly presented above.The original article has been corrected.Authors' contributions The study group participated in data collection.Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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