Guj: 2,200 people tested in drive-through COVID-19 testing facility

As many as 2,200 persons were administered RT-PCR tests at a drive through facility launched in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city on Wednesday, an official said.

The facility was launched days after the Gujarat High Court pulled up the state government over delays in receiving results of RT-PCR tests.

''On the first day of its launch, as many as 2,200 persons gave their samples at our drive-through testing facility created in collaboration with Neuberg Supratech Laboratory at GMDC ground in the city,'' said senior IAS officer Rajiv Kumar Gupta, who is overseeing the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's COVID-19 operations.

In a release, the AMC said the drive-through RT-PCR testing facility is the first initiative of its kind in the country.

Under this initiative, people can give their samples without alighting from their vehicles at the facility.

While the fee has been fixed at Rs 800, the facility will remain open between 8 am and 8 pm, it was stated.

According to the release, the private laboratory has set up five sample collection centres at the ground and prior appointment is not necessary for testing.

Test reports will be sent on email or WhatsApp within 24 to 36 hours, the release said.

The facility will benefit physically-challenged, ill and elderly persons as they won't have to stand in queues or wait to get themselves tested, the AMC said.

This will also stop the spread of the virus from asymptomatic patient who flock laboratories and inadvertently infect others, the release stated.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)