Synopsis: Many pandemic tents are designed for weddings and other special events, hence unsuitable for pandemic management practices. This design offers a stronger, safer, easier to build option tailored for those practices.
Detailed Description: In March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic strained Boston hospitals beyond their limits as numbers of new cases exploded, giving rise to pop-up drive-thru testing centers in mall parking lots. Tents typically used for this purpose were designed for weddings and social/recreational events, not COVID-19 testing. In reaction, PLA collaborated with colleagues, consultants, and builders to develop a better COVID-19 tent structure.
The tent’s parabolic profile and skin are designed to foster natural ventilation to protect patients from car exhaust and, to some degree, the virus itself. The tent is also very easy to erect; its accordion-like construction makes it easy to swiftly unload from a truck/van and unfold into position. Finally, its triangular structure offers greater stability, and the carrying of lateral loads, hence more patient safety.
The tent’s parabolic profile and skin are designed to foster natural ventilation to protect patients from car exhaust and, to some degree, the virus itself.
