What you can expect during home-based screening for Covid-19

LIMPOPO – Limpopo Premier, Chupu Mathabatha led the Provincial Command Council on 14 April to launch a massive Coronavirus screening and testing programme in Lephalale, which will take place throughout the province until 24 April.

Nearly 10 000 volunteers, comprising community health workers, community care givers, lay counsellors, health promotion officers and home-based carers, usually well known in the communities they serve, are used to conduct the screening.

Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba on Friday said the department is still looking into ways to assist these workers in terms of uniforms, but for the time being, they identify themselves at households through a letter of introduction from the department and their ID cards.

“People with symptoms will be referred to local clinics or mobile clinics for testing. Those who are infected with the Coronavirus, but who have no or moderate symptoms will remain in isolation at home or at a facility provided by government and those with severe symptoms will be transferred to hospitals. Using mobile technology, an extensive tracing system will be rapidly deployed to trace those who have been in contact with confirmed Coronavirus cases and to monitor the geographical location of new cases in real time.”

She said communities would be informed by their ward councillors, police station commanders or load-hailers about the programme and of the date they could expect the community workers to visit them.

What does screening entail?

Screening is a way for health workers to find out if you have contracted Covid-19 or not. The health worker will ask you questions and scan your forehead to take your temperature.

What questions will the health worker ask?

The health worker will ask if you have travelled to a high-risk country in the last 14 days or perhaps attended a funeral, have had contact with anyone with confirmed Covid-19 in the last 14 days or have symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.

What happens if a person has travelled to a high-risk country or has had contact with someone who is Covid-19 positive?

Such persons must self-quarantine. This means staying at home for 14 days and monitor yourself for symptoms such as a dry cough, fever and difficulty breathing. Stay away from older people and people with a compromised immune system or underlying condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

What happens if a person shows any Covid-19 symptoms during the screening?

If the health worker thinks that a person may have contracted Covid-19, they will refer the person to a health facility or mobile clinic to be tested.

What happens if a person has not travelled, has not been in contact with anyone who is Covid-19 positive, and does not show symptoms?

The person will be allowed to go on home and must keep on doing things to protect him/herself:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoid close contact (one to two metres) with people who are unwell.
• Stay at home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel unwell.

Are there enough test kits to test everyone in South Africa?

There is a limited number of test kits in South Africa. To decide who should be tested, health workers will use a formula by looking at how serious your symptoms are and what high risk factors you display.

Health workers will keep a social distance from you.  Teams will usually be accompanied by two police officers and sometimes traffic policemen or members of the SANDF to ensure their safety. Work with them when they want to screen you.

By Sunday evening, the number of infections in the country stood at 3 158, with 27 positive cases of Covid-19 having been recorded in Limpopo.

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