“Drive-thru” COVID-19 Tests Can Be Done in Just 8 Minutes at KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital

Many of us are too paranoid to visit the crowded hospitals or clinics to get ourselves tested for COVID-19, but the good news is that there are “drive-thru” tests available in selected areas. These existing drive-thru tests were only available upon appointment at selected hospitals including Pantai Cheras Hospital, Pantai Hospital Ipoh, as well as Pantai Hospital Penang.

Other than the convenience of these drive-thru services provided by the aforementioned hospitals, KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital has announced that they are providing drive-thru testing that does not require appointments. As reported on Free Malaysia Today, KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital’s drive-thru test takes only approximately eight to ten minutes to test one person, and the results will be available within 24 hours.

The consultant emergency physician and head of the Accident and Emergency Services at KPJ Damansara, Dr Nur Abdul Karim, stated that the drive-thru test is to reduce contact with others, on top of making it convenient for everyone. She also explained that by repeatedly testing everyone, it can speed up the detection of COVID-19 cases and help cease the spread of this coronavirus.

“The objective of the drive-thru is to reduce contact with others and make it convenient for people to get tested. We are following the South Korean model to test everyone. Test, test, test – and then test again. By testing everyone, we can detect positive cases early and help minimise the spread of Covid-19.”

Dr Nur Abdul Karim added that the test utilised for drive-thru services is endorsed by the Ministry of Health as the “gold standard”.

“This is the same test that is used in other hospitals and it is endorsed by the health ministry as the ‘gold standard’.”

Apparently, two stations are set up for the drive-thru services at KPJ Damansara. The first station is set up for registration and payment, as well as temperature, oxygen and pulse readings. The second station is assigned for the Covid-19 test which consists of nasopharyngeal (nose) and oropharyngeal (throat) swabs. Consultation is also provided to the patients to attend to their queries.

The drive-thru tests are available from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm from Mondays to Saturdays. Although the hospital planned to expand the drive-thru services, Dr Nur Abdul Karim mentioned that it may overburden the staff.

“We don’t want to overwork our staff and cause burnout. We have to do proper documentation for every test and submit the paperwork to the district health office. We also need to properly disinfect the testing stations – and all that takes time.”

She expressed her concern in regards to their lab capacity to support these tests. So far, the hospital labs are functioning consistently as they have been able to release the test results within 24 hours.

We salute all medical personnel who work around the clock during this Covid-19 crisis. We’re also grateful that they’re doing their best to provide convenience to the people who want to get themselves tested.

The information in this story is accurate as of press time. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it’s possible that some data have changed since publication. While WORLD OF BUZZ is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations through other sources.

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