Challenges and Experience of Setting Up a 2000 Bed COVID-19 Care Center on an Urgent Basis at Delhi

Background: In the city of Delhi, with rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 positive patients, a need for creating a large COVID-19 care center (CCC) for mildly symptomatic patients was badly felt. This paper describes the challenges of setting up a 2000 bed facility and the experience with the first 400 patients treated in the center. Methods: The Indo-Tibetan Border Police was assigned this task, which was completed in a record time of 10 days in collaboration with several other government and nongovernment agencies. Results: All the involved agencies displayed teamwork of the highest order and completed the task. The first 400 mildly symptomatic patients were successfully treated at the center. Patient safety was the priority, and a protocol was devised for early detection of patients worsening further to moderate (oxygen saturation [SpO2] 90%–94% on room air) or severe category (SpO2 < 90% on room air), and arrange timely transfer to a COVID hospital. Twenty-six patients progressed to moderate disease and were managed with oxygen therapy in an area designated as COVID health center (200 beds) having facilities to oxygenate the patients, one patient required bilevel positive airway pressure. Thirteen patients were transferred to a COVID hospital as they worsened to severe category. All patients were discharged home; the mean hospital length of stay was 9 ± 2.3 days. Conclusions: With careful planning and team work, it is possible to commission a large CCC in a short span of time. The patients can be safely managed in such a facility.