COVID-19: lessons learned from a paediatric high consequence infectious diseases unit

In 2018, the government commissioned four paediatric and five adult airborne high consequence infectious diseases (HCID) units in preparation for the emergence of a new airborne viral infection in the UK. St Mary’s Hospital (Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust), London was one of the paediatric centres, partnered with the Royal Free Hospital for adults. St Mary’s was ideally placed to look after children with possible airborne HCID, with a newly designed and built suite of HCID rooms and an expert and collaborative group of paediatric intensivists and infectious diseases consultants. It was exciting to prepare for these eventualities, which felt unlikely as we focused instead on Brexit and the environment. In retrospect, I am ashamed of thinking that this would be exciting, as we now live through a pandemic whose proportions go well beyond my wildest nightmare.

In mid-January 2020, all trusts in England were contacted by the chief medical officer...

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