Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020

Max Augustin; Philipp Schommers; Isabelle Suárez; Philipp Koehler; Henning Gruell; Florian Klein; Christian Maurer; Petra Langerbeins; Vanessa Priesner; Kirsten Schmidt-Hellerau; Jakob J Malin; Melanie Stecher; Norma Jung; Gerhard Wiesmüller; Arne Meissner; Janine Zweigner; Georg Langebartels; Felix Kolibay; Victor Suárez; Volker Burst; Philippe Valentin; Dirk Schedler; Oliver A Cornely; Michael Hallek; Gerd Fätkenheuer; Jan Rybniker; Clara Lehmann

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.21.2000531

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Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020
Max Augustin^1,2,3,4 , Philipp Schommers^1,2,4,5 , Isabelle Suárez^1,2,4 , Philipp Koehler^1,3,6 , Henning Gruell^2,5 , Florian Klein^2,3,5 , Christian Maurer⁷ , Petra Langerbeins⁷ , Vanessa Priesner¹ , Kirsten Schmidt-Hellerau¹ , Jakob J Malin^1,2,3 , Melanie Stecher^1,2 , Norma Jung¹ , Gerhard Wiesmüller⁸ , Arne Meissner⁹ , Janine Zweigner⁹ , Georg Langebartels¹⁰ , Felix Kolibay¹⁰ , Victor Suárez¹¹ , Volker Burst¹¹ , Philippe Valentin¹¹ , Dirk Schedler¹² , Oliver A Cornely^1,2,3,6 , Michael Hallek^3,7 , Gerd Fätkenheuer^1,2 , Jan Rybniker^1,2,3,4 , Clara Lehmann^1,2,3,4
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Affiliations: ¹ University of Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cologne, Germany ² German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany ³ University of Cologne, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Cologne, Germany ⁴ These authors contributed equally to this article ⁵ Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany ⁶ Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Department I of Internal Medicine, Clinical Trials Centre Cologne (ZKS Köln), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany ⁷ Department I of Internal Medicine and Center of Integrated Oncology Aachen, Bonn, Köln, Düsseldorf, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany ⁸ Public Health Department Cologne, Cologne, Germany ⁹ Department of Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany ¹⁰ Department for Clinical Affairs, University of Cologne, Germany ¹¹ Department II of Internal Medicine (Nephrology, Rheumatology, Diabetes, and General Internal Medicine) and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany ¹² University of Cologne, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Cologne, Germany

Correspondence:
Clara Lehmann
clara.lehmann uk-koeln.de
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Citation style for this article: Augustin Max, Schommers Philipp, Suárez Isabelle, Koehler Philipp, Gruell Henning, Klein Florian, Maurer Christian, Langerbeins Petra, Priesner Vanessa, Schmidt-Hellerau Kirsten, Malin Jakob J, Stecher Melanie, Jung Norma, Wiesmüller Gerhard, Meissner Arne, Zweigner Janine, Langebartels Georg, Kolibay Felix, Suárez Victor, Burst Volker, Valentin Philippe, Schedler Dirk, Cornely Oliver A, Hallek Michael, Fätkenheuer Gerd, Rybniker Jan, Lehmann Clara. Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020. Euro Surveill. 2020;25(21):pii=2000531. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.21.2000531 Received: 05 Apr 2020; Accepted: 28 May 2020

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused tremendous pressure on hospital infrastructures such as emergency rooms (ER) and outpatient departments. To avoid malfunctioning of critical services because of large numbers of potentially infected patients seeking consultation, we established a COVID-19 rapid response infrastructure (CRRI), which instantly restored ER functionality. The CRRI was also used for testing of hospital personnel, provided epidemiological data and was a highly effective response to increasing numbers of suspected COVID-19 cases.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020

Citation style for this article: <a href="/search?value1=Max+Augustin&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Augustin Max</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Philipp+Schommers&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Schommers Philipp</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Isabelle+Su%C3%A1rez&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Suárez Isabelle</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Philipp+Koehler&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Koehler Philipp</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Henning+Gruell&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Gruell Henning</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Florian+Klein&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Klein Florian</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Christian+Maurer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Maurer Christian</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Petra+Langerbeins&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Langerbeins Petra</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Vanessa+Priesner&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Priesner Vanessa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kirsten+Schmidt-Hellerau&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Schmidt-Hellerau Kirsten</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jakob+J+Malin&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Malin Jakob J</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Melanie+Stecher&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Stecher Melanie</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Norma+Jung&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Jung Norma</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gerhard+Wiesm%C3%BCller&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wiesmüller Gerhard</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Arne+Meissner&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Meissner Arne</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Janine+Zweigner&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Zweigner Janine</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Georg+Langebartels&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Langebartels Georg</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Felix+Kolibay&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kolibay Felix</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Victor+Su%C3%A1rez&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Suárez Victor</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Volker+Burst&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Burst Volker</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Philippe+Valentin&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Valentin Philippe</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Dirk+Schedler&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Schedler Dirk</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Oliver+A+Cornely&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Cornely Oliver A</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Michael+Hallek&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hallek Michael</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gerd+F%C3%A4tkenheuer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Fätkenheuer Gerd</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jan+Rybniker&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Rybniker Jan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Clara+Lehmann&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lehmann Clara</a>. Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2020;25(21):pii=2000531. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.21.2000531" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.21.2000531</a> Received: 05 Apr 2020;   Accepted: 28 May 2020

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Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020

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