Tokyo to set up oxygen station for COVID-19 patients recovering at home

TOKYO -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will set up a large-scale oxygen administration station as there have been more cases where coronavirus patients recuperating at home need to be administered with oxygen.

The metropolitan government expects to utilize the building of the former national children's center "Kodomo no Shiro" (children's castle) in the capital's Shibuya Ward to set up 130 beds for administering oxygen to patients. The metro government is rushing to secure doctors and nurses as it plans to start operating the station from Aug. 21.

According to those close to the metro government and other parties, the oxygen administration station is expected to have a large, partitioned room equipped with beds for patients. Sources say the station will temporarily accept patients recovering at home who need oxygen administration, and take measures such as providing medication and monitoring their blood oxygen saturation levels, in addition to giving oxygen. A maximum of two doctors and 25 nurses will keep an eye on the patients at all times to see if there are any sudden changes in their symptoms.

The central government has indicated that it will push for "antibody cocktail treatment" -- said to be effective in preventing severe symptoms from developing -- for coronavirus patients not in the hospital. It will also promote the establishment of oxygen administration stations.

(Japanese original by Shinji Kurokawa and Hitomi Saikawa, Tokyo City News Department)