In a novel initiative, the Southern Naval Command has constructed an air evacuation pod that will help to safely transport COVID-19 patients or people who are suspected to have COVID-19, in emergency circumstances. 

The air evacuation pod was indigenously designed and constructed at Southern Naval Command's Naval Aircraft Yard in Kochi. The fully sealed capsule with breathing facilities, will eliminate the risk of spread of infection during evacuation and transportation.

According to the release by the Southern Naval Command (SNC), the pod can be used to airlift people who are stranded in islands or ships.

The incident of members of cruise ship Diamond Princess being infected with COVID-19 made it the largest cluster of coronavirus outside China in February. About  200 inmates of Diamond Princess were tested positive for coronavirus, and the other hundreds of inmates had to be put on quarantine in the same ship for weeks together.

The evacuation pod was designed under the guidance of the Principal Medical Officer of the INS Garuda (naval station) in Kochi.

The evacuation pod, weighing 32 Kg, is constructed using aluminium, nitrile rubber and perspex (transparent thermoplastic), costing Rs 50,000 to manufacture. 

The officials of SNC have already conducted trials for possible evacuation last week.

According to the official statement of SNC, a total of 12 such air evacuation pods will be made and distributed to the Southern, Western, Eastern naval commands in addition to Andaman and Nicobar naval command.

As of April 14, 10,950 people have been tested positive for COVID-19 in India. While the country has recorded 1,161 recoveries, 337 people lost their lives from the pandemic in India.

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