As the number of active cases in Mumbai is increasing exponentially, new methods to tackle the coronavirus are emerging. On Sunday, three drive-through testing sites for COVID-19 were launched in Mumbai by SRL Diagnostics.
Drive-Through Centres Launched In Mumbai
The financial capital of the country is now equipped with 3 drive-through COVID-19 testing sites.
The testing centres are located at Indiabulls Finance Centre in Lower Parel, Celestia Spaces in Sewri and Lodha Supremus in Kanjurmarg. Launched and managed by SRL Diagnostics, they operate between 9 am and 6 pm every day.
In these centres, a nasal or throat swab is collected from the person without him/her stepping out of the car. The swab is then sent to a laboratory for testing. The patient receives the report the same day if the sample is given before noon or next day over e-mail. The entire procedure, from drive-in to exit, takes 5 to 10 minutes.
SRL Diagnostics has also set up a toll-free number (1800-222-000) for making the drive-through test appointment. The documents required for the testing are a form filled by a qualified physician, a doctor’s prescription asking for a test and your Aadhaar card.
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Drive-Through Testing Centres Are Faster And Efficient Methods Of Sample Collection
According to Ravi Aggarwal, Regional COO of SRL Diagnostics, “the drive-through concept works as a great tool to fast-track sample collection. Not only is the method faster, but also limits human interaction with potentially infected people, preventing the spread of the virus.”
The drive-throughs or mobile testing centres were used massively in South Korea, which helped them arrest the rate of infections successfully. These centres have also been started in the national capital region and Kerala by different bodies.
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