Letter to the editor: the overnight successful change of a facility into a COVID-19 center during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

As a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the Italian Government established a first national lockdown on March 11, 2020. The epicenter was in the North, with 79% of cases versus 21% in the South. As of April 16, 2020,1 at the peak of the pandemic, the Region Emilia-Romagna (population of 4.5 million), with 21,800 patients and 2900 deaths, was the second most affected region in the world (Lombardy being the first). The Regional Health Service decided to devote the Sant’Orsola University Hospital in Bologna (1500 beds) solely to the treatment of COVID-19. This strategic public health choice was implemented before the Italian Government issued the lockdown. Because of patient overload, wards, operating rooms, and other areas soon needed to be converted into intensive care unit (ICU) and infectious diseases (ID) departments. Following the adequate training procedures, a SARS-CoV-2 center was then established overnight: personal protective equipment was promptly made available for all personnel, with rigid dressing and undressing protocols. A 24/7 support was provided by anesthesiologists, pulmonologists and ID physicians.