Air ambulance transportation option for Coronavirus patients

The company’s Head of Sales Volker Lemke commented: “We have installed a customised stretcher configuration on a Challenger CL604 aircraft, with specific EpiShuttle equipment and accessory modules ready to deploy. We have deployed a dedicated team of 4 ICU Flight Doctors and 8 Flight Paramedics, now trained in accordance with the ECDC European Center for Disease Control Technical Directive: Infection Prevention and Control for the Care of Patients with 2019-nCoV in Healthcare Settings, February 2020.” He added: “Based on our current PIMU capability, FAI will offer transportation of patients with confirmed 2019-nCoV infection on a case by case basis … positive case contacts will also be transported’.”

Limitations placed on patient transports include:

The Health Authority Infectious Disease Notification processes relevant to all jurisdictions has been followed and approved prior to the mission

• Receiving care has been confirmed and the receiving hospital is fully informed and willing to accept the patient.
• The involved ground ambulance services are briefed accordingly and accept the patient.
• The patient and/or relevant family member/legal guardian gives consent to being transported in a PMIU after full disclosure of the risks and limitations involved.
• The transport is not in breach of aviation restrictions in place and subject to amendment from time to time as promulgated by international agencies eg: WHO/CDC/National authorities and aviation agencies.

Furthermore, FAI said that following numerous requests from clients, it can now commence repatriations of unaffected, healthy adults and children who are in a location considered to be at high risk of transmission back to their home country, on behalf of governments, international agencies and private clients. Lemke said: “These missions are offered on our Challenger CL604 and CL850, and Global Express aircraft, for up to 13 passengers. All missions are accompanied by a trained dedicated medical team, for pre-flight temperature screening, and the availability of medical/nursing care in flight should the need arise.”