A TOT phone booth transformed into a makeshift COVID box for testing. The kiosk wards off the infection risk among healthcare workers. (Source: bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) – The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) ofThailand is turning the TOT Public Company’s phone booths into coronavirus testkiosks to ward off infection risks among health care workers and address theshortage of personal protective equipment.
TOY Senior Executive Vice-President Morakot Thienmontreesaid that the first batch of 50 booths, called "COVID Boxes", areexpected to be built this month and deployed at selected hospitals in line withnecessity.
Two circular holes will be drilled on the side of thecubicle so health workers can put their hands out to collect samples frompatients.
The cubicle's interior is fitted with a positive pressurefan with a filter to prevent aerosol from entering the compartment, which isalso equipped with illumination.
During each round of examination, health staffers haveto wear protective clothes and a mask inside the cubicle and insert their handsinto plastic gloves to collect samples from patients outside the box. They needto change their gloves after each examination.
The development of each box costs less than 1,000 THB (30 USD), hesaid.
TOT was assigned to make 200 COVID Boxes from telephonebooths as an initial target to support hospitals in need.
Morakot said his company has thousands of phone boothsstored at the state enterprise's headquarters on Chaeng Watthana Road as wellas other branches, including provincial offices. It will select booths that arein good condition for the project. They will be cleaned until they are readyfor modification.
Thailand has to date recorded 2,613 infections, including 41deaths./.
VNA
