CoCT To Roll Out COVID-19 Mobile Testing Booths At Some Clinics

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) will be rolling out testing booths for the coronavirus at 17 clinics across the city.

The testing booths are expected to be rolled out at facilities in Albow Gardens, Langa, Bloekombos, Wallacedene, Town Two, Doctor Ivan Toms, Ikhwezi, Kuyasa CDC, Manenberg, Delft South, St Vincent, Gugulethu, Weltevreden Valley, Masiphumelele, Seawinds, Phumlani, and Tafelsig.

The city said that the booths would aid efforts to increase the number of tests of vulnerable individuals who were at risk of more severe illness, while also protecting healthcare workers.

“Our new testing booths will allow us to conduct tests with an added layer of safety for both the person conducting the test and the person being tested. Importantly, it will allow us to save valuable personal protection equipment (PPE), as there is a worldwide shortage at present. The testing booths are designed for a single operator who will not need to don PPE whilst testing, although a surgical mask is still recommended,” said the city’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Zahid Badroodien, in a statement on Monday.

“The tester will use special external glove extensions to reach out and perform nasopharyngeal swabs without any major difficulties. The external gloves are cleaned and disinfected and the next client is tested. This is but another way in which city Health is trying to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and comes as we also roll out our overflow facilities at some clinics to ensure social distancing and continue to provide general primary healthcare alongside our COVID-19 interventions,” Badroodien added.

EWN