Carlo Corsini, FPS owner and General Manager, presents STS – Swab Testing Station for Covid-19

1. What is STS and how does it work?

The Swab Testing Station (STS) is the first system to safely swab potentially infected patients by healthcare personnel and today we are pleased to announce the launch of this new innovating solution for swabbing. This product, which guarantee the absolute safety of operators and patients, is composed of two cabins and each one is equipped with powerful ventilation which speeds up the aeration phase after sanitization to reduce the downtime between tests and it also allows the achievement of negative dynamic pressure inside each of the two cabins. Best in class filtration dramatically reduces the risk of potentially contaminated air escaping the station. In addition, the completely safe removal system allows the removal of waste generated by washing activities through a special container inside each cabin. With this box tests for COVID-19 only take a few minutes and are very safe because both the operator and the patient are never in direct contact. The cabins are easily transportable and they will allow operators to perform 10 swabs in one hour. An intercom permits clear communication between the patient and the operator with the possibility to use pre-recorded audio with standard instructions, which can be done in different languages.

2. Where did the idea start from?

We designed and built STS on the basis of a similar product used in the Korean hospital of Yangji in Seoul where the pandemic developed before us and its success in use inspired us to follow their example.

3. What is the purpose of the supply and what are the advantages of using this product?

The purpose of the supply Swab Testing Station (STS) is performs tests on potentially infected patients safely by personnel located outside the station. The system consists of a module made of two cabins and it has the following advantages:

• System is set on supporting frame and therefore is easily transportable to     various testing sites (hospitals entrances, pharmacies, neighbourhoods, squares, public spaces,…). It requires very minimal assembly and will reduce contacts thanks to the buffer it creates between the healthcare staff and the patients to be tested;
• Maximum protection to the patient and the healthcare staff carrying out the test because of the “physical” barrier it creates between both which eliminates any risk of contagion;
• Maximum reduction of contamination risks for the collected samples but also for the environment thanks to a safe system for removing the samples from the cabin (the safe system is called a “liner”);
• Safe removal system also for the waste generated by testing activities by     means of a special container inside the cabin;
• Quick test: because the system has 2 cabins, while one is used for swabbing the other can be sanitized. That way two operators can perform about 12-15 swabs per with the two cabins;
• The system is equipped with powerful air ventilation that speeds up the aeration phase after sanitization and reduces the downtime between tests;
• An intercom allows clear communication between the patient and the operator with the possibility to use pre-set audio with standard instructions in different languages.

4. Where will the STS cabins be positioned?

Our idea would be to be able to place these supplies in strategic points such as entrances to hospitals, pharmacies, neighborhoods or squares to allow operators to make swabs and analyze them in a short time and to a large number of people. The cabins are easily transportable and they will allow operators to perform 10 swabs in one hour and the equipment is guaranteed for 24 months after delivery.

5. What does this innovative product represent for a company like FPS?

In this dramatic situation, having the tools to find solutions that can safeguard people’s lives is an innovation and we are proud to have had the possibility to do it. We are very proud of our FPS team for working together and putting their technical skills at the service of public health on such short notice. The team worked with enthusiasm despite the difficulties that we are all going through at this time.