Lancet Laboratory Rochester Place administrator Bathandwa May speaks to queuing patients arriving for a coronavirus test at the drive-through testing facility, 18 March 2020, in Sandton. Patients arriving at the facility have all been referred by a doctor to be tested. Picture: Michel Bega
More than a week ago, Oupa, a consultant in the agriculture sector, developed fever and consulted his doctor who treated him with antibiotics.
He consulted his doctor again on Tuesday and the doctor recommended that he be tested for the Covid-19, though he has not recently travelled outside the country.
This is why he found himself queueing, in his BMW sedan, to get tested at Lancet Laboratories’ Covid-19 drive-through testing in Sandton, yesterday.
“I do not have any symptoms, other than the bout of fever that I treated with antibiotics. I have nothing to worry about,” he said.
He said since the doctor suggested Covid-19 tests, his wife and child, who have no symptoms, have gone into self-isolation at their Bryanston home.
“We just want to be on the safe side,” said the man, who only identified himself by his first name and declined to be photographed for fear of being stigmatised.
Manning the makeshift drive-through under a gazebo put on the facility’s parking area, are admin staffers Oscar Nkosi and Bathanda May and nurse Pleasure Rasedile. The nursing sisters, kitted with protective goggles, masks, gowns and gloves, take swabs from patients while sitting in their cars, with the admin staff, also kitted with protective gear, taking payments.
“I am proud and want to thank our company for the opportunity to help people in this health crisis. My family is scared but I have assured them that I am well protected,” said May.
He said safety was key and that every care was taken not to expose anyone, saying for instance the speed point machine he uses to take payments was sanitised after each transaction.
Mahendree Karim, who is Lancet Laboratories regional technical manager (North), said they wanted to create a safe environment for their patients to get tested and limit contact as much as possible.
The drive-through is open from 7am to 7pm, seven days a week, while the walk-in testing operates from 8am to 5pm from Monday to Friday.
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