Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020

• Published in: Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles Vol. 25; no. 21; p. 1
• Main Authors: Augustin, Max, Schommers, Philipp, Suárez, Isabelle, Koehler, Philipp, Gruell, Henning, Klein, Florian, Maurer, Christian, Langerbeins, Petra, Priesner, Vanessa, Schmidt-Hellerau, Kirsten, Malin, Jakob J, Stecher, Melanie, Jung, Norma, Wiesmüller, Gerhard, Meissner, Arne, Zweigner, Janine, Langebartels, Georg, Kolibay, Felix, Suárez, Victor, Burst, Volker, Valentin, Philippe, Schedler, Dirk, Cornely, Oliver A, Hallek, Michael, Fätkenheuer, Gerd, Rybniker, Jan, Lehmann, Clara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Centre Europeen pour la Surveillance Epidemiologique du SIDA (European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS) 28.05.2020; European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
• Subjects: Adult; Betacoronavirus; Civil Defense - organization & administration; Coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; COVID-19; Disease Outbreaks; Emergency medical care; Emergency preparedness; Germany - epidemiology; Hospitals; Humans; Medical personnel; Middle Aged; Outpatient care facilities; Pandemics; Patient Care Management; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Rapid Communication; Risk Assessment; SARS-CoV-2; Tertiary Care Centers; Triage; Germany; Cologne Germany; COVID-19; risk assessment; outbreak; SARS-CoV-2; pandemic preparedness
• ISSN: 1560-7917; 1025-496X; 1560-7917
• DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.21.2000531

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused tremendous pressure on hospital infrastructures such as emergency rooms (ER) and outpatient departments. To avoid malfunctioning of critical services because of large numbers of potentially infected patients seeking consultation, we established a COVID-19 rapid response infrastructure (CRRI), which instantly restored ER functionality. The CRRI was also used for testing of hospital personnel, provided epidemiological data and was a highly effective response to increasing numbers of suspected COVID-19 cases.