Long-Distance Aeromedical Transport of Patients with COVID-19 in Fixed-Wing Air Ambulance Using a Portable Isolation Unit: Opportunities, Limitations and Mitigation Strategies.

Introduction: Aeromedical transport of patients with highly-infectious diseases, particularly over long distances with extended transport times, is a logistical, medical and organizational challenge. Following the 2014-2016 Ebola Crisis, sophisticated transport solutions have been developed, mostly utilizing large civilian and military airframes and the patient treated in a large isolation chamber. In the present COVID-19 pandemic, however, many services offer aeromedical transport of patients with highly-infectious diseases in much smaller portable medical isolation units (PMIU), with the medical team on the outside, delivering care through portholes.