Cape Town - Cape Town has launched Covid-19 testing booths at 17 clinics to boost efforts towards increased testing particularly for vulnerable individuals who are at higher risk of contracting the virus, the city council said on Monday.
In a statement, the council said the booths would also form part of the protection for frontline healthcare workers, after authorities identified constraints around the provision of personal protective equipment.
The Covid-19 testing booths are available at the 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 clinics.
External gloves fitted to testing booths will be used to conduct nasal swabs for Covid-19. Photo: City of Cape Town
The testing for vulnerable individuals includes all persons older than 55 years of age showing Covid-19 symptoms, individuals under the age of 55 with pre-existing health conditions, healthcare workers displaying Covid-19 symptoms as well as individuals living in care and old aged homes displaying symptoms of the coronavirus.
Cape Town member of the mayoral committee for community services and health Zahid Badroodien said the testing booths were an innovative, cost-effective solution to the challenge of how to increase testing capacity.
He said as local cases of transmissions continued to rise, screening and testing for communities was needed and the booths would also be a faster way for healthcare workers to test patients without coming into direct contact with them.
“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, Badroodien said.
“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."
The testers will use special external glove extensions fitted on the booth to reach out and perform nasal swabs without difficulties.
After every testing the external gloves are cleaned and disinfected.