Sophia residents take advantage of COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, May 2, 2020
The Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 mobile testing unit will be stationed in the Sophia area, on Saturday and Sunday, between 9am to 3pm to conduct a screening exercise.
Sophia is one of the hotspots in Central Georgetown which has been deemed the epicentre of the pandemic in Guyana.
Family Medicine Resident, Dr. Keon Harmon who heads the mobile unit explained that persons who visit the unit will first be screened to see if they qualify as high-risk.
“When persons visit the Mobile Testing Unit, they will be guided to go through a triage area where they will answer several screening questions. Then, if they meet the criteria for testing, we go ahead and take samples,” he said.
These samples will then be sent to the National Public Health Reference Laboratory for testing.
Dr. Harmon relayed that at around 11am this morning they had already seen several persons.
A young Sophia resident, Maressa Stephens was not hesitant to share her views on the initiative, which she described as “a smart move to combat COVID-19.”
“I think implementing screening booths in the area where the coronavirus cases are prominent is a great idea, I would like to encourage everyone to take advantage of it while they are in our community,” Stephens said.
Twenty-four-year-old, mechanic, Roy Holder commended the Ministry of Public Health for alerting the residents of Sophia of the presence of the Mobile Testing Unit in their area.
“The day would have passed and many residents in Sophia would not have been aware of the Mobile Testing Unit but very early in the morning there was a truck driving through the community informing residents and that move is not just smart but essential,” he said.
The Ministry of Public Health launched its mobile testing unit on April 27 to combat the spread of the virus.
Central Georgetown was labelled as the epicentre, with positive cases coming from Kitty, Alberttown, Cummingsburg, Bourda, South Ruimveldt, Sophia, Turkeyen, Liliendaal and Cummings Lodge, Bourda, Lamaha Park, South Ruimveldt Gardens, Campbellville, East Ruimveldt, Guyhoc Park, Lodge, Albouystown and Laing Avenue.
The mobile testing unit will assist in reducing the number of persons seeking screening and testing at the Guyana Public Hospital.
Two COVID-19 facilities were also launched on Monday. They will be located at Herstelling on the East Bank of Demerara and Paradise on the East Coast of Demerara.