In three days, about 300 express tests for antibodies to COVID-19 were performed in Vitebsk.
In three days, about 300 express tests for antibodies to COVID-19 were performed in Vitebsk.The opportunity to determine if a person has previously had contact with coronavirus is now available to residents of the northern capital of Belarus, at the patient's request. Since June 15, the Vitebsk Regional Diagnostic Center has started offering testing on a paid basis.
To avoid crowding, the approach to service delivery was thought out from the beginning. Firstly, appointments are made by phone (42-55-54 and 42-63-69) and on the institution's website. Secondly, a separate entrance has been organized for visitors (it is located to the right of the main one). Thirdly, everyone is required to wear masks. Fourthly, a 10-minute interval is maintained between visitors.
Blood for analysis is taken here from about a hundred people daily. Testing is carried out on weekdays from 8:00 to 15:00. A passport must be presented. Results can be obtained on the same day from 16:00 to 20:00. The cost of this service for Belarusians is 21 rubles 80 kopecks, for foreigners – 37 rubles 80 kopecks.
The test kits themselves are Chinese, highly accurate and sensitive. A diagnosis is made based on the number of lines obtained on the test kit. One line indicates a negative result. A line at the G level indicates past infection, with no cause for concern. If a line indicates M, the virus is present in the body. This result will be positive, even if the person has no symptoms of the illness.
– If the virus is detected, we transmit the data to the polyclinic at the place of residence. This is stipulated in the contract, – notes the head of the laboratory at the regional diagnostic center, Alexey Teterev. – Infectious disease specialists at the local level will examine each situation individually.
– I think I already had coronavirus in March, I had similar symptoms, but I didn't take a test, – says Irina Gapon from Vitebsk. – I still observe all precautionary measures. But I live with my grandmother. I would like to know for sure whether I had the infection or not.
According to Svetlana Gromova, Chief Physician of the Vitebsk Regional Diagnostic Centre, initiative is being shown not only by ordinary citizens but also by the heads of some enterprises who wish to have their employees tested on a centralised basis. Given the increased demand for the service, the institution has allocated an additional day, Saturday, for organised groups. To book this, please call 42-55-55.
Furthermore, since June 15, it has been possible to get tested for COVID-19 directly in Vitebsk using the PCR method on a paid basis. This can be done at the polyclinic on Margelov Street. Meanwhile, Stanislav Titovich, Chief Physician of the Vitebsk City Central Polyclinic, emphasises that this service is exclusively available to those travelling abroad. Some countries, such as Ukraine and Egypt, have made it a mandatory requirement to have a certificate confirming the absence of coronavirus infection. Moreover, this test is only valid for a few days before crossing the border. Therefore, if you are planning a holiday in August, there is no point in taking the test now. The results can be collected the day after the test is taken. Another important point is that you must have not only your passport and an application form (the form can be downloaded from the institution's website) but also a document confirming your travel abroad, such as an airplane ticket. The cost of the test is 33 Belarusian rubles for Belarusian citizens and 42 Belarusian rubles for foreign nationals.