Abstract

During the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare facilitieis struggled with a shortage of negative pressure isolation rooms due to the rapid rise in infected or suspected patinets. Emergency departments, in particular, needed alternatives to safely manage these patients. This study evaluates the performance of temporary isolation rooms (TIR), which provide provisional isolation without negative pressure, to aid pandemic preparedness. Using tracer gas, the air exchange rate of a patient room in a emergency department in Seoul was measured and replicated in a test chamber. Particles were generated inside a TIR, and particle concentration was measured. Results showed that particle concentration inside the TIR decreased to 10% of peak concentration within 10 minutes for all particle sizes, while the room concentration remained almost unchanged. Although not as effective as negative pressure rooms, the temporary module effectively limits particle escape and is easy to set up, making it a practical option for emergency settings.