Drive-Through/Walk-In Covid Testing Centre launched

Covid test made easy for Malleswaram dwellers.

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: To facilitate easy Covid testing, a drive-through/walk-in Covid testing centre was inaugurated in the Malleswaram Assembly constituency on Wednesday.

Speaking after inaugurating the facility, Minister for Higher Education Dr CN Ashwatha Narayana said the facility has been established to enable hassle-free testing for the dreadful coronavirus, considering the fast spread of Covid and Omicron recently. “Tests at these centres will be done free of cost and further treatment will be provided to the needy,” he said.

The drive-through/walk-in Covid testing centre with a swab collector, lab technician and data-entry operator will function from 8 am to 8 pm. The rapid antigen test will be performed on symptomatic patients at the centre, and one can also drive through or walk in here to have their samples taken for the RT PCR testing. Report of the test will be sent to the concerned person’s mobile through a message. Two teams are deputed to operate at the centre, and the facility will be extended to other strategic locations across the constituency, Narayana detailed.

Simultaneously, a mobile van for door-to-door Covid testing in all seven wards was flagged off. Each ward will be provided with one vehicle comprising a team of one lab technician, DEO & a swab collector to visit homes. “While the RAT will be done on the spot, swab samples will be collected for the RT PCR the report of which will be sent to the person’s mobile phone as a message. Necessary information regarding awareness, testing, triage, CCC, hospitalisation, treatment, follow- ups investigations, war room and helplines will also be provided,” he stated.

Saying the set-up facilities will enable testing of symptomatic, primary contacts, and secondary contacts, he said that no one will be forced to get tested. He requested people to come forward voluntarily and make use of the facility.

In-force services for Covid management in Malleswaram include 24/7 Covid Vaccination Centre (average 1,000/day), 24/7 Covid Testing at UPHC (PG Halli), Covid Care Centre (PG Halli), Pulse Oximeter Bank (3,000 numbers – MOH I/C), Oxygen Concentrator Bank (100 at MLA Office), seven UPHC with seven triage teams, 100-Bed ICU with ventilator, 100-general oxygen beds, 60 HDU (at KCG Hospital), besides a war room.

Testing is also done at the PHCs in Gayatri Nagar, Subramanayanagara, Palace Guttahalli, Netaji Circle-Mathikere, Gandhi Grama-Malleswaram, Subedar Palya, and near Dhobi Ghat in Vyalikaval.

Dr Deepak, Commissioner, BBMP West Zone, Ujwal Kumar Ghosh, Covid Incharge Officer, Dr Manoranjan Hegade, Dr Sucheta, Dr Prakash, Health officers from the BBMP were present at the launch.