This new equipment is designed to better protect the crew and future patients from the coronavirus, but will also increase the speed of intervention.
The Air Rescue service will be able to safely transport Covid-19 patients by helicopter using the isolation stretched, called Epi-Shuttle.
Developed three years ago by Norwegian doctors, the stretcher is covered by a transparent shell including secure access, so the patient can be treated and connected to a ventilator if needed. The Epi-Shuttle represents an investment of €60,000.
Air Rescue have also equipped its aircraft with an isolation chamber, thanks to which patients suffering from highly infectious diseases can be transported safely.
During the crisis, the Air Rescue transported around fifty Covid-19 patients from the Grand Est in France, which was hit hard by the pandemic.
These patients were brought to Luxembourg for treatment, then later repatriated. The Air Rescue expressed the need for more government support at the time.
The number of helicopter operations has been higher than usual, although repatriation activities have since dropped drastically.
