Clearly the covid-19 outbreak is not a simple issue to address and we are in a rapidly evolving situation. However, we can try to take lessons from other countries. While there are many elements to this and several ways that hospitals can adapt their facilities, one of the key issues we are advising on is infection control. With coronavirus cases multiplying worldwide, many infected patients will seek emergency care at local hospitals, exposing other vulnerable people and the doctors and nurses treating them. This outbreak highlights the urgent need for rigorous infection control in the medical facilities on the front line.

Each hospital has its set of considerations, so there are no generic design solutions. However, I have set out below a number of strategies that can be used to improve how we protect hospital staff and patients from infection.

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