Coronavirus Outbreak

COVID-19 Battle: Swab Collection A High Risk Job, Says Doctor

The process of swab sample collection of a person to test for the coronavirus does not take more than 30 to 40 seconds, but it is a “high risk job” says Dr Pushkar Dahiwal from Aurangabad

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Highlights
  • Swab test is done to check if a person has the novel coronavirus
  • Doctor says swab collection poses high risk for them to contract the virus
  • Doctors who conduct the test remain self-quarantined for 14 days after that

Aurangabad: A doctor working at a hospital for treatment of coronavirus patients here in Maharashtra has revealed the tough task and challenges they face in collecting swab samples of the suspected patients. The process of swab sample collection of a person does not take more than 30 to 40 seconds, but it is a “high risk job”, Dr Pushkar Dahiwal, who collects 80 to 100 swab samples in a day at the government hospital in Aurangabad, told PTI.

We work for three days and then remain self-quarantined for 14 days, he informed.

During the six-hour duty, doctors have to keep wearing the personal protective equipment (PPE) and amidst the fast paced work, they do not even get a chance to drink water, he said.

We need to finish the work in a short time to avoid contact with patients and also with those who come to give their swab samples, the doctor said.

Also Read: Combating COVID-19: High-Level Task Force To Work On Vaccines, Drug Testing Constituted

A 10 to 12 cm long stick is used to collect sample from a person’s throat, while the stick used for collecting sample from nose is comparatively longer and thinner, he said.

Before the person coughs or sneezes, we need to finish sample collection. Being a dentist, I have the practice of handling the patient’s mouth area, he said.

Dr Dahiwal also said that at times they need to counsel coronavirus suspects as some of them think they don’t have the infection, but carry a fear in mind.

Some of the people think the test is something different and dangerous. But, we explain the procedure to them so that there should be no need to collect another sample of the person, Dr Dahiwal said.

The nurse and other accompanying staff also need to stay alert as the swab samples are to be sealed immediately and kept in a proper storage facility, he said.

If the swab sample falls, it would be a problem. All these things have to be completed in a very short span of time. So, there is no scope for mistake, he added.

Also Read: India Working With Global Partners To Develop Vaccines To Fight COVID-19: Health Ministry

Dr Dahiwal also recalled that he took care of victims of the 26/11 terror attack in 2008 at the Saint George Hospital in Mumbai.

I left the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai just 20 minutes before the attack began. At that time, we had fear the attackers may come from any side. That incident keeps coming to my mind every time when I collect swab samples of suspected coronavirus patients, he said.

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1 Comment

  1. Manjusha s

    July 21, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    HaiCovid 19swab collection is very high risk,there is an option is that the self collection of swab.why we can’t try that.

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