Covid-19 testing in Goodwood

A mobile testing site in the parking area in McDonald Street opposite Goodwood civic centre on Monday April 20.

The provincial Department of Health will be intensifying its Covid-19 community screening and testing programme this week, with health teams working in Goodwood.

There is a mobile testing site in the parking area in McDonald Street opposite Goodwood Civic Centre today, Monday April 20.

The screening and testing will be held at Dirkie Uys Clinic at the corner of Dingle and Church Street in Goodwood on Monday and Tuesday, April 20 and 21.

Chairman of the Goodwood Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association Faizel Petersen has been screened and tested. He is also an essential services employee, working in security risk management in the corporate sector. 

Mr Petersen said he was asked basic identifying questions: full names, age, physical address, and then whether he had any symptoms such as coughing, high fever, shortness of breath or a sore throat. The full screening is based on the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) case definition as at April 2, which places more emphasis on symptoms and less on travel or contact with a possibly infected person. He said during the test – which lasted about a minute – they inserted a swab into his nostril and he felt no discomfort at all. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the virus that causes Covid-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and quickly fall on floors or surfaces.

You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within close proximity of someone who has Covid-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then your eyes, nose or mouth.

Covid-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate symptoms, fever, tiredness and dry cough.

Some people may experience aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhoea.

On average it takes five to six days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should self-isolate. Seek medical attention if you have a fever, a cough, and difficulty breathing – and importantly, call ahead.

Northern News sent questions to the Western Cape Department of Health but they did not respond by the time this report went online.

There is a self-assessment risk tool available here (https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/sars-cov-2-risk-assessment-form).

If you have flu-like symptoms, and have come into contact with someone who has the coronavirus, contact the national hotline on 0800 029 999 or the provincial hotline on 021 928 4102 for advice on what to do next. These lines are operational 24/7.