Since April 6, 2020, 25 GGDs together have realized more than 350 Covid-19 test locations in the Netherlands. Anyone with symptoms that are consistent with the Corona virus can be tested to see whether he / she is a carrier. The GGD GHOR tests are conducted at various external locations. It is a gigantic ongoing project wherein test locations are set up safely and efficiently, in very limited time. In the first week of January 349,417 tests were conducted at the test locations.
In recent months, Backbone been assisting in the design and furnishing of a number of these test locations in Den Haag, Delft, Zoetermeer, Assen, Bergen op Zoom, Enschede, Naaldwijk and Nootdorp. The knowledge and experience in the event industry tremendously helps in the efficient design of the test locations, within a short period of time. Thanks to 15 years of experience, placing fences, floorboards, tents and signing, testing lanes are something Backbone can do with its eyes closed. The same goes for making CAD drawings and signage plans, construction calculations and overlay and safety plans.
Taking things a step further, a drive-through test location has been set up in Eindhoven. From A-Z, Backbone has been able to contribute ideas and also realize water supply, infrastructure, signage and temperature sensor installations. Most test locations are built at sites where no facilities are available. The production approach is therefore very similar to the overlay management & technical work that Backbone normally does for large events. A festival often takes place at a location where there are no existing water, electricity and infrastructure facilities. Backbone can promptly play chess with its existing network of suppliers and worked with- Kontent structures, F&L power, Buko housing, Purple, Coreworks Staging & Habets rental, Losberger- De Boer tenten, Neptunes, Powershop, Boels, Colle verhuur, EP-Collective, Expovorm international, Buko huisvesting, Antonis verhuur, Stageco nederland, Freyja hekwerk, DecoCreators, Story Event Engineering, Verschoor, Epic shelters, Gojungle, De Loods,TVE drukwerk, Headquarter, Haags blauw, MTD water, Overbeek sanitair, JMT flooring, Pieterse containers.
Daniel Zwaan, Backbone: “I am happy and proud to see that we have been able to use our knowledge in recent weeks and months. We did not do this alone, we worked together with many suppliers from the event industry to achieve this result. In this way we can offer a bit of employment in these challenging times. Together we show how we stand strong as an industry and switch where necessary.”
In recent months, XL test locations have been opened in addition to the regular test locations. This allows 100,000 tests per day to be conducted, which is double the regular capacity. Operation Fastlane is the central project team that is involved in the rollout of 20 XL test locations and works closely with the VNO NCW, Ministry of Defense and VWS. Tim Lowijs, Operation Fastlane: “We have been looking for a party that already has experience with setting up test lanes as efficiently and quickly as possible, in order to translate our wishes into a beautiful and complete design”. Backbone has become the assisting party and is proud to work at various locations throughout the Netherlands.
On the 7th of January the first health care worker received the Covid-19 vaccine. Since then, several vaccinations have been done and the expectation is that these numbers will rise rapidly. Therefore, Team Backbone’s focus is now on converting several testing facilities into vaccination locations. Certain other locations are being built in a 50/50 set up from the start, to be able to serve COVID-19 tests as well as vaccinations. This way we ensure that the locations are ready for all future scenarios. With all the experience gained over the past few months by working on differently sized locations, Backbone has figured an efficient way to re-arrange or to build the 50/50 combination streets.
