Walk-in Sample Collection (WISC) kiosk, an innovative solution that would not require to wear a personal protective equipment to collect the sample of a person suspected of COVID-19, was launched in Ernakulam on Monday.
The kiosk involves the healthcare worker to utilise the protective shield of the kiosk while taking throat swabs. They were made indigenously on the advise of the team led by the doctors at the Government Medical College (MCH), Ernakulam, and the district medical officers.
These were based on the kiosks being used in South Korea, said the District Collector, S. Suhas, at the demonstration held at the collectorate on Monday.
These kiosks will help reduce the use of PPE, which costs ₹1000 for one kit, besides helping bring down the waste generated with the one-time use kit.
These kiosks will be helpful in case of community spread that would involve getting a lot more tests done. It takes only a minute or two to take the swabs.
The district Corona Control Room, headed by Mr. Suhas, plans to have one kiosk each at the sample collection centres, which include, Moovattupuzha General Hospital, Aluva District Hospital and Karuvelipady Government Hospital.
Two more centers — Tripunithura taluk hospital and Paravur taluk hospital — would also be considered as sample collection centre with WISC kiosks.
Two kiosks, costing ₹40,000, were manufactured for the MCH through sponsorship support.
