RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Drive-through testing for SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic health and social care workers and household members: an observational cohort study
JF Thorax
JO Thorax
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Thoracic Society
SP 1109
OP 1111
DO 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215128
VO 75
IS 12
A1 Benjamin J Parcell
A1 Kathryn Brechin
A1 Sarah Allstaff
A1 Meg Park
A1 Wendy Third
A1 Susan Bean
A1 Chris Hind
A1 Rajiv Farmer
A1 Daniel Chandler
A1 James D Chalmers
YR 2020
UL http://thorax.bmj.com/content/75/12/1109.abstract
AB The requirement for health and social care workers to self-isolate when they or their household contacts develop symptoms consistent with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can lead to critical staff shortages in the context of a pandemic. In this report, we describe the implementation of a drive-through testing service in a single National Health Service region in Scotland. From 17 March 2020 to 11 April 2020, 1890 SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription PCR assay (RT-PCR) tests were performed. 22% of tests were positive. Allowing the remaining 78% of staff to return to work within 24 hours was estimated to save over 8000 working days during the peak pandemic period.