Liu Zhihua, Beijing’s vice mayor, introduced protection measures for medical workers in Xiaotangshan Hospital. He said the newly built hospital has three separated areas: a living area, a restricted area and an isolated area. Medical workers live in the restricted area and patients in the isolated area. Medical workers and patients enter the isolated area from different entrances. Before entering, medical workers are disinfected and change their clothes twice. There are double-glazed windows for medical workers and patients if they want to communicate with each other. And, there are three two-ton-weight incinerators, where polluted litter from patients and the used exposure suits can be burnt.

A positive-pressure ventilation system has been installed in Xiaotangshan Hospital with fresh air pumped through the passage where health care workers move to the quarantined wards, this is then discharged into the open air. All health care workers and SARS patients have access to fresh air. Every ward has independent shower facilities, toilets, telephones, televisions, oxygen systems, vacuum pump systems and intercom systems.

The independent sewage treatment plant affiliated to the hospital decontaminates sewage twice and faeces from SARS patients processed three times before discharge into common sewage treatment plants. Protective measures are also adopted for nearby communities. Though the hospital is a relatively far distance from nearby villages and residential communities, the Changping district government has educated everyone with SARS knowledge and precaution, particularly those living closest also running a campaign to eradicate flies and rats that may possibly carry and spread the virus.

A crematorium is situated 19 kilometers away from the second part of northwestern Xiaotangshan Hospital. Corpses of SARS patients are conveyed there through express highways without entering any villages. As of yesterday, the Xiaotangshan Hospital has accommodated 393 SARS patients.

(China.org.cn May 7, 2003)