HOK and Germfree Partner to Design Mobile SARS-CoV-2 Testing Lab

Access to quick, reliable, and repeated testing has been one of the greatest challenges for businesses, institutions, and individuals during the SARS-CoV-2 crisis. HOK has partnered with Germfree Laboratories to design a mobile testing lab that will help large organizations to meet this urgent need. These self-contained biocontainment facilities can provide advanced, onsite capabilities for any setting.

Leveraging Germfree’s experience manufacturing mobile biosafety labs and HOK’s expertise in lab planning, the BSL 2+ labs offer a rapidly deployable solution for testing active or suspected cases of SARS-CoV-2. Intended to address the needs of large institutions including universities, companies with extensive campuses, manufacturing facilities, or government agencies, the labs can provide full-time, high-volume testing without building new structures. Made up of two Germfree modules, the labs accommodate up to nine staff workers as well as one or two high-throughput diagnostic machines capable of testing 80 samples at a time, resulting in up to 1,120 tests per day. One module is dedicated to sample collection and a second to testing. To provide inherent flexibility, HOK designed the sample collection module to also support inoculations after a vaccine becomes available. In addition, the modules can be repurposed or relocated to respond to surge capacity or provide new capabilities for other campus labs, public health departments, or related facilities. 

The mobile labs will be available in mid-autumn 2020. HOK and Germfree are also designing two additional solutions that will provide immediate or same-day results for smaller groups.