In another unique step to combat COVID-19 after the disinfection tunnels, Tiruppur District Administration set up a sample collecting kiosk at the Tiruppur Government Hospital premises on Wednesday.
District Collector K. Vijayakarthikeyan inspected the kiosk in the presence of Tiruppur GH Dean S. Valli on Wednesday. He told The Hindu that there will be a “two-step process” with two kiosks set up – one was set up at the hospital entrance will screen the patients, where those found to have symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to the sample collection kiosk set up at the entrance of isolation ward.
“If ILI [influenza-like illness] also start coming [to the sample collection kiosk], then there is a chance of infection,” Mr. Vijayakarthikeyan noted.
Also known as walk-in sample kiosks (WISK), the sample collection kiosk was prepared indigenously by Tiruppur Corporation at the cost of ₹ 99,946. The screening booth at the GH entrance was set up by District Administration in collaboration with Indian Medical Association.
With features such as a pair of gloves and exhaust fans, the kiosk will ensure the safety of medical personnel collecting the swab samples from the patients, Mr. Vijayakarthikeyan said. “The gloves will be disinfected and changed periodically,” he said. This sample collection kiosk is the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu, following Ernakulam district in Kerala which set up a kiosk earlier this week, the Collector said.
With the number of positive COVID-19 cases touching 20 in Tiruppur district as of Tuesday, the District Adminstration is planning to set up more such sample collection kiosks and screening booths at containment zones in Tiruppur district, according to Mr. Vijayakarthikeyan.