The COVID Surge Facility-Liacouras Center (CSF-Liacouras Center) is staffed and admitting patients recovering from COVID-19 beginning April 17, 2020. 

The City of Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management and Philadelphia Department of Public Health are overseeing operations at the site, which is equipped to treat roughly 200 low-acuity patients as they recover from the coronavirus. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided the core equipment for the facility. 

Below are some basic details and answers to frequently asked questions about CSF-Liacouras Center.

Who will be treated at the CSF-Liacouras Center? 
The CSF-Liacouras is for patients in the final stages of recovery from COVID-19. The facility will treat patients 18 and older who are COVID-positive and have been improving in area hospitals, but need additional time to fully recover before they can return home. 

How many patients will the CSF-Liacouras Center treat?
The current configuration can hold roughly 200 patients. 

If I suspect I have coronavirus, is there any walk-up service available at the CSF-Liacouras Center, and can I be tested for COVID-19 there?
No. This is not a testing facility, nor is it a walk-up service facility. Learn about where you can get tested here. The City’s Department of Public Health recommends testing for people with fever and cough or shortness of breath if symptoms are severe or worsening, and for those with symptoms who:

• are over age 50; 
• have medical conditions that might increase the severity of the infection, including diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease or immunocompromising conditions;
• live in a facility with other people (nursing home, college dormitory, prison, shelter); or
• are healthcare workers.

How are patients admitted to the CSF-Liacouras Center? 
Patients will be transported by ambulance from local hospitals to the CSF. There will be no direct admission of patients to the facility. 

Can people visit patients at the Liacouras Center facility? How do they get in touch with loved ones being treated at the facility, and how can they get updates? Can gifts be delivered?
The CSF is for patients in the final stages of recovery from COVID-19. For everyone’s safety, visitors will not be allowed in the facility. Patients can use their cell phones to contact individuals outside the CSF.

What is the food policy? Can I send food to a patient?
Food and related services are being provided by a sole vendor. Outside food deliveries will not be accepted at the CSF.

Will the surrounding neighborhood be affected by the surge medical facility at the Liacouras Center? 
Security will be in place around the CSF-Liacouras, and only those with proper identification will be allowed to enter the building. Patients will not be allowed outside the building, and there is no expected threat to the public. 

All staff and volunteers working at the site will be provided with off-street parking. 

How will the facility be cleaned and disinfected when patients leave?
A physician who specializes in infectious diseases and infection control has been directing all cleaning and disinfecting procedures at the CSF-Liacouras Center, and all necessary cleaning and disinfecting supplies, as well as a supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff and volunteers, are available on site. 

I have skills that might be useful. How do I volunteer to help at the CSF-Liacouras Center or another site?
Volunteers who want to help inside the CSF should not go there directly. Anyone looking to volunteer to support the city’s response to COVID-19 should register first with the city’s Medical Reserve Corps.

Who is staffing the CSF-Liacouras Center?
The CSF is being staffed by a combination of volunteers from the city’s Medical Reserve Corps, medical staff from organizations throughout the region who will be reassigned to work at the center, and staff sourced from outside vendors and agencies. Staffing will evolve to respond to the needs at the site.