As coronavirus continues to claim individuals’ lives and cause health and economic problems within communities, health experts emphasize testing and isolations to tackle the pandemic. If you are worried about contracting the contagious coronavirus disease when you walk into a hospital for testing, you don’t have to worry as there are many drive-through facilities popping up across the U.S and many countries. However, before planning on getting a drive-through coronavirus test, you could ask for recommendations near you, such as Otsego lab tests. Most of the testing sites could offer both drive-through testing and in-person testing, but it could be wise to choose the drive-through option. You might want to know the safety of the drive-through tests, what to expect, and how long you will need to wait for your results.
What to Expect at a Drive-Through Coronavirus Testing Facility
Since the testing kits are limited, those with coronavirus symptoms would be the first to get the drive-through testing. Potential patients will have to fill out an online information sheet that indicates their symptoms before they are allowed through the testing facilities. The facilities do not want to have patients wasting time coming to the drive-through facility if they do not need the tests.
The health workers would confirm your identity at the facility and whether you filled the online sheets before getting the corona tests. The patients stay in their vehicles where the nurses provide nasal swabs that the patients could swab on their noses themselves or with a nurse’s help. The patients should have their masks through the process to avoid the spread of corona, and they lower the windshield only to let the nurse attend to them, thus reducing the spread of the coronavirus. Moreover, when patients stay in their cars, they could limit the spread of other conditions, which is a plus in a medical facility.
How long will you wait to get the results?
Typically the drive-through facilities would test the patient within 10 minutes of when they drive through the facility and take the samples to their labs for testing. In about 24 hours the patients would have their results. However, some facilities might post your results through the online platform; the online platform could offer confidentiality, so other patients will not view your results.
Advantages of Drive-Through Testing
- When testing for coronavirus on the drive-through site, the nurses would be wearing their PPE, and thus reduce the possibility of spreading the infection.
- A drive-through removes the emergency department’s testing service, thus reducing the hospital’s workload and freeing the time and facility to attend to other patients.
- The testing takes little time, and many people could be tested quickly.
The Bottom Line
Drive through coronavirus testing facilities might be a relief to hospitals as they try to contain the contagious infection. The nurses testing the disease would have full PPE, which prevents the spread of the infection. Moreover, it is possible to test many people within a shorter time in a drive-through facility. Additionally, drive-through testing facilities might reduce the hospital emergency department’s workload and thus could be the perfect option for testing coronavirus disease.
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