The role of dedicated biocontainment patient care units in preparing for COVID-19 and other infectious disease outbreaks.

Jade B Flinn,Lisa L Maragakis,Noreen A Hynes,Brian T Garibaldi,Lauren M Sauer

doi:10.1017/ice.2020.451

Abstract

In response to the Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016, the US Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) established 10 regional treatment centers, called biocontainment units (BCUs), to prepare and provide care for patients infected with high-consequence pathogens. Many of these BCUs were among the first units to activate for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient care. The activities of the Johns Hopkins BCU helped prepare the Johns Hopkins Health System for COVID-19 in the 3 domains of containment care: (1) preparedness planning, education and training, (2) patient care and unit operations, and (3) research and innovation. Here, we describe the role of the JH BCU in the Hopkins COVID-19 response to illustrate the value of BCUs in the current pandemic and their potential role in preparing healthcare facilities and health systems for future infectious disease threats.

Highlights

The Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit (JH biocontainment units (BCUs)) is the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 3-designated high-level isolation units (HLIUs) treatment center, serving Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.[6]
The Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit (JH BCU) team is a multidisciplinary and highly trained group of clinicians, frontline healthcare providers, researchers, infection prevention specialists, and emergency management personnel who have been working together since 2014 to enhance preparedness to respond and provide care for persons infected with high-consequence pathogens with high transmissibility and Author for correspondence: Brian T
Staff must be familiar with infection prevention practices, personal protective equipment (PPE), and clinical care protocols for high-consequence pathogens, and they must maintain continuous readiness.[7]

Summary

Introduction

In the 18 months prior to its activation for COVID-19, the JH BCU designed and implemented a pilot education program supported by the Maryland Department of Health that aimed to address Ebola and other emerging infectious disease preparedness gaps for frontline and special pathogen assessment hospitals throughout the state.

Results

Conclusion