PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Andrew Benjamin Dagens
AU  - J Mckinnon
AU  - R Simpson
AU  - C Calvert
AU  - T Keast
AU  - N Hart
AU  - M Almond
TI  - Trans-Atlantic aeromedical repatriation of multiple COVID-19 patients: a hybrid military–civilian model
AID  - 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001565
DP  - 2020 Dec 23
TA  - BMJ Military Health
PG  - bmjmilitary-2020-001565
4099  - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/early/2020/12/23/bmjmilitary-2020-001565.short
4100  - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/early/2020/12/23/bmjmilitary-2020-001565.full
AB  - Here, we report the first known transcontinental aeromedical evacuation of a large number (55) of patients with known and suspected positive COVID-19. These patients were evacuated from Havana, Cuba, to the UK through MOD Boscombe Down as part of Operation BROADSHARE, the British military’s overseas response to COVID-19. We describe the safe transfer of patients with COVID-19 using a combined military–civilian model. In our view, we have demonstrated that patients with COVID-19 can be aeromedically transferred while ensuring the safety of patients and crew using a hybrid military–civilian model; this report contains lessons for future aeromedical evacuation of patients with COVID-19.