UK-based International SOS has developed an aviation risk management plan to safely move Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) patients. The company has developed and tested three Portable Isolation Units (PIUs), which will enable conscious SARS patients to be transported safely by road ambulance from isolation hospitals to and from airports and by air on international flights.

A spokesperson said: “The use of PIUs allows a SARS patient to be protected in isolation from the surrounding environment, significantly reducing the infection risk for personnel associated with the transportation.” For additional protection, International SOS has also purchased N95 respirators for aircrew flying a SARS patient and sets of fully enclosed air hoods with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) to allow SOS medical teams to enter hospital isolation areas in safety.