Way to give Covid-19 test samples without leaving the car?

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering a plan to set up drive-through sample collection units whereby people can drive in and submit samples

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is considering a plan to set up drive-through sample collection units whereby people can drive in and submit samples to test for Covid-19 without getting out of their vehicles.

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The facility will have medical staff to collect swab samples which will then be sent for testing.

While the BMC has finalised a standard design for the sample collection unit, the plan is to set up such facilities in tents, gazebos in isolated areas like service roads of highways, parking lots, and open grounds.

A plan to change the Bandra Worli sealink tollbooth into a sample collection is being discussed but is yet to be finalised.

As per the plan, the suspected patient will reach the testing facility in their car and the sample will be collected through the vehicle window. The facility will have a registration desk along with a professional to collect samples.

“The speed of collecting samples will be doubled easily as it will take just five minutes per patient. It is estimated that a three-member team can collect up to 200 samples a day. The biggest advantage of such units is that they completely reduce or rule out chances of cross infections which are a major threat to medical staff,” said a senior civic official.

According to the BMC, these drive-through units will be cost-effective and will require minimal assets.

Another civic official working on this plan said, “Such facilities are easy to set up and operate since very minimal assets are required for running it on a full scale. The facilities will cost very less to set up and we will make sure that proper arrangements for the staff are made there.”