New Delhi: In a one-of-a-kind move, Delhi now has its first mobile coronavirus testing van, which will enable health officials to collect samples at the doorstep even in the densely populated areas of the national capital. The van which is being inducted for Delhi’s central district will collect samples from the Chandini Mahal and Daryaganj containment zones, where people have been going to the government hospitals or private labs to give their samples or get tested.
Now the people can get tested in this mobile testing van, which is modified in a way that health officials can sit behind a glass casing and collect nasal and the throat swabs of the people.
This van can easily get into lanes and by-lanes of very densely populated areas in Delhi. The van also ensures that the health officials are not exposed to the people getting tested, by wearing gloves that protrude out of this glass casing of the van.
Furthermore, the nasal and throat swab samples collected will be stored in ice boxes inside the vans from where these are taken to the testing facilities.
At present, the test samples from the Chandani Mahal are being taken to the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC).
Out of the 79 containment zones of Delhi, Chandni Mahal comes after Nizamuddin and Tughlakabad in the highest number of COVID-19 cases. The mobile testing van in this region is also being supported by the police officials who are helping to ensure social distancing in the region.
The van is creating awareness about testing with the help of mic and speakers attached. The mic system also helps health officials in giving instructions and guiding people who have turned up for testing.
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The Indian Council of Medical Research has highlighted the importance of such a mobile testing facility, which will enable testing of suspected patients in one place, without risking transmission of the virus to others.
The District Magistrate of Central Delhi, Nidhi Srivastava told NDTV that more of these vans will be deployed across the district in the coming days. She said,
We realised that we needed such vans for getting into narrow lanes and for mobility. Many of these containment zones are densely populated areas. We are also using these vans for creating awareness as it has a microphone and a loudspeaker. We keep issuing instructions about how to take precautions about health and hygiene. We have only one van now, but will keep adding in a few days.
Delhi has reported 2081 cases of COVID-19 and 47 deaths as of April 22, according to the Health Ministry’s website.
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