People in the armed forces are used to serving their country. However, in recent months they have put their skills to use in new ways to fight an enemy they had never encountered before: COVID-19. At the beginning of April, military engineers began designing a vehicle for testing members of the British public. These mobile testing unit (MTU) vehicles were then driven to car parks and other open spaces around the country to provide tests to key workers in the midst of the pandemic.
In the boot, away from the important testing kits, folded tents, tables, barriers and traffic cones are neatly stored. These are easily accessible in a separate area of the van so that the team can quickly get the parts they need, building the site in just 15 minutes and creating a sense of order for those arriving. A hand-washing unit has been installed at the back of many MTUs for the teams to use regularly while working around the unit.
The team of engineers was given just one week to transform a standard Ford Transit van into a unit fit for delivering coronavirus tests. The process involved removing all the seating, deep-cleaning and stripping the panelling. It was essential that the van could store all the equipment separately, could be easily and frequently cleaned and was ready for deployment as soon as possible.