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KZN’s Clairwood Hospital COVID Unit

KZN’s Clairwood Hospital COVID Unit

August 11, 2020

An existing unit to meet stringent COVID health and safety protocols.

The Clairwood Hospital’s COVID Unit project was a complete strip-and-refurbish of an existing unit to meet stringent COVID health and safety protocols. The refurbishment took just two months - record time - and enables 154 patients to be isolated and about 40 to be quarantined.

Clairwood Hospital

The Unit includes such state-of-the-art technological advancements as doors programmed to only allow entry to people with an appropriate temperature and who are wearing a mask. It also includes a wash bay to sanitise ambulances immediately after dropping off COVID-19 patients.

Victor Van Den Berg was tasked with the selection and oversight of installation of Italtile products to finish 60 bedrooms and 50 bathrooms. He worked in partnership with The Department of Health, Architects CCA, Main Contractors VC Projects, and Sub-contractors Bombelela Building Projects and Alpha Waterworx.

Clairwood Hospital

To get the project completed in record time, the project ran 24/7, with two sets of teams working day and night shifts. The hospital revamp began mid-March 2020 and was completed by the end of June 2020. While South Africa was going into lockdown in March, the professional team was gearing up to make sure the project was completed before the virus peaked in South Africa. Armed with the required permits, Victor made almost daily visits to Italtile Umhlanga during level five lockdown to coordinate and manage the logistics of getting the required products to site on time.

In his words: “Driving to work felt like a movie. There was nobody to be seen on my way from home to the Italtile showroom. It was very surreal.”

To meet and exceed COVID protocols, Victor chose products from Italtile’s own ItalCare range: ISO-certified grab rails and shower seats. He also selected Laufen sanitaryware, Tivoli taps, Franke sinks, and locally produced tiles from Ceramic Industries.

Clairwood Hospital