War Memorial Assessment Centre all go for COVID-19 Testing

Staff at the War Memorial Theatre Assessment centre are prepared, ready, waiting and are encouraging the public to visit.
“We would love you to be tested,” Dr Patrick Ney says in a Gisborne herald video report.
From Three Rivers Medical Dr Ney, now based at the Covid-19 testing centre at Gisborne’s War Memorial Theatre said potential Covid-19 symptoms include fever, coughs, sore throat , runny nose and loss of smell or taste.
“We take extraordinary measures to both assure the safety of staff and to ensure the safety of patients coming through,” Dr Ney said.
“We wear extensive personal protection equipment (PPE).
“We have procedures in place to ensure there is minimum contact.
“We ensure that everything is cleaned and wiped down, so the risks are very, very low.
“Wearing PPE obviously provides both good protection for us and the patient.
“The challenges are that you’re wearing multiple layers, you’re dressed from head to toe, it can become very hot _ pretty uncomfortable.
“You feel a little bit separated from the patient and unable to provide that facial assurance.
“A lot of people are fearful when they see us dressed head to toe with our protective equipment, a little bit overwhelmed.
“I think there’s certainly some fear in respect to actually undertaking the swab.”
The Herald’s video report followed one person through the testing regime from start to finish last week.
Most people breathed a sight of relief after they were tested.
“It wasn’t nearly bad as they imagined it to be,” Dr Ney said.
The best course for people who may have been exposed to the virus was to contact their GP.
Their GP could make an appointment at the assessment centre.
The public could self-refer and come down to the centre between 1pm and 3pm, seven days a week.
Dr Ney said they recommended that people went through their GP.
Their GP could make an appointment at the centre and follow-up on the test.
A person who self-referred would be tested “but you might have to be patient”.
There were days when the centre was very busy “but we are well staffed and equipped to handle those numbers”.
Testing involved a nasopharyngeal (crrt) swab test for the coronavirus, but patients were also assessed for any underlying respiratory illnesses.
The procedure was relatively minor.
“We’re are doing the testing to ensure the community is safe when we come out of lockdown,” said Dr Ney.
The person featured in the video has returned a negative test.

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