Head to MGMGH to give your swab samples under a tree

TIRUCHY: With the number of people flocking to the MGMGH to test for coronavirus infection, the sample collection centre was shifted out of the hospital to under a tree on the premises. This was done after healthcare workers said they found it difficult to work wearing PPEs inside the building for a long time.

Several chairs have been placed with distance amidst each other. A table has been placed where the doctors and healthcare workers were sitting. A bed has been placed to maintain distance between the healthcare workers and people coming for testing.

People first queued up to register their names and state their symptoms, or reason for testing. Post this, their forms were verified, and people were taken one by one to a chair placed on the side where their sample was taken.

"It is hot and humid inside the building. Even with the fan on, we sweat a lot in our PPEs. Also, the chances of virus spread are high in enclosed spaces. In the open, we are feeling free and are able to work better here," said a healthcare worker.

Earlier, the healthcare workers used to take only a few samples and now with cases increasing they are in the situation to take more samples. Nowadays, at least 500 samples are being taken in the MGMGH a day, according to sources.

Doctors feel that working in the open would help in containing the spread. When some expressed inhibitions about testing in the open, doctors said this was just being tried out, and if it didn't work, they would shift it inside.

"We know that infection spreads in crowded areas. We shifted outside on Thursday on request from doctors taking the samples. If it rains or is too hot, we will move inside," said the Dr K Vanitha, Dean of MGMGH.