People voluntarily come forward to give samples at Mohali hospitals

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 5

More and more people are coming forward to give their samples for Covid testing at various hospitals in Mohali district.

Close to 100 people were seen queuing up for registration at the Civil Hospital in Phase VI here today. The registration process begins at 9 am and samples of all individuals, who reach the hospital till noon, are collected. The hospital authorities have made arrangements to ensure that there is no overcrowding and the people are not inconvenienced during the sampling process.

“After the registration process, people have to take a seat and wait for their turn. They are called one by one to give their samples at the Covid testing pod. It hardly takes two minutes to give a sample,” said Naresh Kumar, a local resident who came to give his samples.

Health officials say people are coming voluntarily to ensure their well-being. “Some of them are hale and hearty. But they do not want to take a chance. There are persons who have mild fever or any other potential symptom. They too want to get themselves tested for Covid-19 without any delay,” said one of the testing staff.

Young, middle-aged and elderly persons could be seen patiently waiting for their turn in the seating area.

Inquiries from several persons revealed that it takes only one-and-a-half-hour for the entire process once you enter the hospital.

“One can easily walk-in and get himself or herself tested without any hassle. No documents, not even Aadhaar card, are required for undergoing Covid test. All you have to do is register yourself by giving your details such as name, age, address and phone number. I heard that giving a sample is a painful process, but I found it comfortable,” said Shreshta, a local resident.

Health officials said: “Normally, the test report comes in three days. If a person tests positive, he is contacted on the cell phone. If the report is negative, a person can collect his/her report from the hospital”.

Helpline for collection of samples from home

Max Hospital on Saturday announced the start of collection of samples from home for Covid testing in the tricity. RT-PCR tests will be conducted at the rates fixed by the government. For collection of samples from home, a helpline number (0120-4868010) has been launched. The facility is available from 8 am to 8 pm. On Friday, The Tribune had highlighted that home collection of samples for Covid testing had not taken off in Mohali hospitals.