Cape Town - Health teams in the Garden Route District have screened more than 70 000 people and have referred 404 for testing through the door-to-door screening and testing program.
Community screening and testing outreaches are aimed at finding as many people as possible who might have Covid-19.
The Western Cape Government has urged all residents to be on the lookout for the health teams, who are identifiable by their badges and clothing/uniform so that they can allow them to screen people.
"If you are referred for testing, be assured these tests are safe. Testing for coronavirus is done by taking a swab in your nose. While you await your results, we ask that you please quarantine at home in a separate room, if possible. We appeal to people who need to quarantine to stay home and not have visitors. If you cannot quarantine at home, speak to the health worker who will advise on facilities that are available for isolation and quarantine," the provincial government said.
The provincial government has urged people to remember that only people who CANNOT isolate/quarantine at home will be advised on available facilities to do so.
“Every single person can help us in our effort, by staying home as much as possible, keeping a distance at all times, avoiding gatherings of people wherever it may occur, by always following the golden rules of good hygiene, and by properly wearing a clean cloth mask whenever out in public,” said Premier Alan Winde.
Members of the public are encouraged to continue practicing the 5 Golden Rules of Good Hygiene and to wear a cloth mask when in public spaces.
The 5 Golden rules of prevention:
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Keep surfaces clean
- Do not touch your face
- Cough and sneeze in your elbow fold
- Keep 1,5m away from people when you leave your home.
Teams have tested the following number of people as part of the door-to-door screening and testing program from 8 April to 20 May 2020:
- Bitou subdistrict:
15 540 of which 37 were referred for testing
- Knysna subdistrict:
5 134 of which 20 were referred for testing
- George subdistrict:
14 961 of which 71 were referred for testing
- Mossel Bay subdistrict:
12 307 of which 143 were referred for testing
- Hessequa subdistrict:
14 939 of which 119 were referred for testing
- Kannaland subdistrict:
3 034 of which 5 were referred for testing
- Oudtshoorn subdistrict:
8 934 of which 9 were referred for testing
Door-to-door screening and testing sites for subdistricts 25 May – 29 May 2020
Bitou subdistrict: Crags (Kurland)
Knysna subdistrict: Sedgefield
George subdistrict:
- 25 May: Thembalethu Zone 3
- 26 – 29 May: Zone 4 (Lusaka-area)
Mossel Bay subdistrict: Alma
Hessequa subdistrict:
- 26 – 28 May: Slangrivier
- 28 May: Albertinia
- 25 – 26 May: Melkhoutfontein
- 25 – 28 May: Riversdal
- 27 May: Gouritsmond
Oudtshoorn subdistrict:
- 25 – 26 May: Bridgton
- 27 – 28 May: Toekomsrus
- 25 – 28 May: Dysselsdorp
- 25 – 28 May: De Rust
The provincial government has reiterated that community screening is not the only place where screening is possible.
Other methods of screening for Covid-19 include:
- Self-assessment risk tool ( https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/sars-cov-2-risk-assessment-form)
- Any Primary Healthcare facility is able to conduct screening (please be sure to call ahead)
- Your local GP and District Hospital (please be sure to call ahead)