Earlier in the month, we showed you Face shields and medical Cubes designed by Slingshot. It’s part of the COVID-19 switch up that has forced the sign maker and others to adapt to remain relevant and viable in the midst of the pandemic.
But they’ve also been hard at work on testing booths. They’re similar to the ones built by Gallardo Services and Hardware in Belmopan but Slingshot received a massive government order and had to produce 12 of them in a ten-day period. Cherisse Halsall was there for two Belize City installations.  Â
Yesterday, The Belize Central region installed 2 new testing booths to screen for potential COVID-19 cases while providing maximum protection for their healthcare workers. Nurse Shermaine Gallego told us why the booth is vital for Cleopatra white, a clinic currently charged with a specific responsibility.
Shermaine Gallego - Nurse, Outpatients Department. "We are presently the respiratory clinic for the central health region. We only see flu-like illnesses so if the patient would come with at this clinic. COVID is something new to all of us and we can see how contagious it could be. The doctor will be inside fully protected and away from the patient so I believe this will be of great help to us you know minimal risk for the health care provider."
The Booths are designed by Slingshot
Sign Shop's Switch-Up A Sign Of The Times posted (April 2, 2020)
A company that has switched from making signs to health equipment to do their part for the flattening of the curve.
Managing Director Kareem Burgess explained some of the unique challenges behind the booth’s design process.
Kareem Burgess - Managing Director, Slingshot "The design was a little bit of a challenge getting the space one. Two, having a material that’s gonna keep it cool to the best of what we can without having any kind of A.C. in there. 00:49 To have an A.C. would contaminate it as well so we can’t use the A.C. If you notice the tubes are outside the framework is outside, that’s intentional. Inside is completely sealed so all the interior work is done inside and finished off with sealing it in."
But to get that design up to health standards the company needed some guidance. That’s where Alexi Rosado, Administrator at Cleopatra White’s sister clinic, came in.
Alexi Rosado - Administrator, Matron Roberts "So, working along with Mr. Kareem we were able to actually get the swab. The patient will get the swab and hand it over to the doctor. The doctor will do all the necessary things he needs to do and then the swab will be returned back into where it belongs so that we can move that to the lab."
For its part, Matron Roberts has been assigned to back up Cleopatra White.
Alexi Rosado "What we do is in the event that they assign us for some swabbing we will do it in our area as well and if we see any patient necessary to get swabbed we will do it. The facility decided to order the booth due to what we were trying to do is protect more our medical officer's personnel that are doing the swabbing for the testing and also to have them a minimal exposure."
12 booths were designed delivered countrywide.
Berges says his company has also been commissioned to design similar booths for one of the utility collection.Â
Email
Print