Even with vaccines and treatments under development, medical experts have said COVID-19 may never be eradicated. Tampa General Hospital is preparing for the future by turning its former rehab hospital into a permanent COVID-19 unit.

"I think it really comes from a place of wanting to do the best for our community and being prepared for the future," said Dr. Seetha Lakshmi, USF Health and TGH Infectious Disease Medical Director of the Global Emerging Diseases Institute.

Lakshmi said the team at TGH hasn't just been fighting COVID-19 – they've been learning from it.

"We have refined our processes," Lakshmi said. "We have best practices and one of the best outcomes, and we want to be able to translate it to being better prepared for the future."

That's where the COVID-19 unit comes in. The $8.2 million project involves renovating an existing building on TGH's campus. It will include 59 fully equipped ICU beds designated for patients with the virus.

"In addition to that is staff that are trained to be able to handle the ill patients for the best possible extent," said Lakshmi.

Hillsborough County Commissioners voted last month to provide $4.5 million in CARES Act funding for the project. Hillsborough County Health Care Services Dept. Director Gene Earley said part of the plan involves adding two ambulances to help with testing as many as 500 county employees a week.

"Basically, that's what it's designed to do is be a mobile unit for them to go out and actually come on with their staff and be able to do testing right in Hillsborough County," said Earley.

Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary Mayhew said, when it comes to infectious diseases, hospitals have always looked at ways to isolate patients and dedicate staff to their care. Mayhew said TGH likely won't be the only facility looking at permanent solutions.

"I do expect a lot of innovation and different approaches from what they've learned throughout this pandemic, especially when you think about needing to have donning and doffing stages for PPE," said Mayhew.

Lakshmi said it's important to be prepared for whatever comes, especially with so much about COVID's long term effects unknown.