A very, very long time ago, F1 was the event that brought people from around the globe to Singapore. Thanks to COVID-19, that special event that was supposed to take place last month seemed like a piece of history now.
So what do we do with the F1 pit building that seemed to serve no purpose as of this period? Turn it into a treatment facility of course.
COVID-19 Treatment Facility in F1 Pit Building to Start Accepting Patients from 9 Nov
The F1 Pit Building at Marina Bay has been converted to a COVID-19 treatment facility, and the facility can house up to 721 patients from 9 Nov onwards.
The three-storey facility even has eight isolation rooms and 12 sick bays. The wards on the second and third floors will each be manned by up to 17 staff members.
Unlike other COVID-19 facilities, this COVID-19 treatment facility only takes in COVID-19 positive seniors who have chronic illnesses but are stable and able to perform daily activities independently.
These seniors must be 70 years old and above if they are unvaccinated or above 80 years old if they are vaccinated.
They will be admitted after assessment by hospitals and will be monitored around the clock.
This facility will help “decongest” public healthcare institutions.
“Elder-Friendly” Wards
To increase the patient’s level of comfort, the wards will be segregated by gender. The men will stay on the second floor and the women will take up the third floor.
The wards will also have a “five-star view” overlooking the F1 track and the Kallang River area…with no F1 racecars, of course.
These patients have access to free Wi-Fi and they will be provided with a care pack. In the care pack, there are basic necessities such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, mug, face masks, Milo, instant coffee packets and crackers.
Additionally, they will receive a towel, pillow and a personal cabinet with a lock so they get to store their belongings. The patients will also be provided with three meals a day.
The seniors can also take part in daily activities like games and magic shows so that they don’t get bored. There are also materials in the communal areas for readings, handicrafts and light exercise.
The facility was set up so that the patients do not feel overwhelmed or isolated. Beds are set up in pairs with a set of furniture in between them to “encourage communal chit chat” among patients.
There’s also an emergency call button at the beds so that the patients can call for a doctor or a nurse in case of an emergency.
Grab bars and anti-slip mats are installed in the restrooms as well.
There are also eight changing rooms at each ward as well. These rooms have a double usage as well. They can be used to conduct swab tests for the patients too.
The facility also comes with an onsite 24/7 emergency service who will transfer patients to the nearest hospital if necessary.
Set up in Two Weeks
The facility, owned by Singapore Tourism Board, was set up within two weeks by the National University Health System and Health Management International (HMI).
The planning and design of the facility were done by MOH Holdings (the holding company for public healthcare institutions) and Surbana Jurong Private Limited. Integrated Health Information Systems (IHIS) also provided over 80 computers-on-wheels and technological support.
Mandarin Oriental hotel stepped in to help engage the seniors through activities and curate a healthy menu.
Within the two weeks, they installed an industrial construction lift as the original lifts were too small for a hospital trolley.
Patients can be discharged if they clear a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test on day 6 for vaccinated patients and day 10 for unvaccinated patients.
If they still test positive, they would have to stay in the facility a little be longer before getting discharged, which will be on day 10 for those who are vaccinated and day 14 for those who are not vaccinated.
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Featured Image: Facebook (Ong Ye Kung)
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