Over 2 000 staff members have been tested for the Covid-19 virus as the Tshwane metro rolled out a new initiative.
The first phase of the initiative started on Wednesday.
It saw essential workers from various trades including paramedics, firefighters, nurses, technicians, plumbers as well as security officers being screened.
On Thursday, the metro had to close its Pieter Delport disaster management centre after an employee from the emergency services department (EMS), as well as a police officer stationed at the centre, tested positive for the virus.
Occupational health and safety specialist Lehlohonolo Tamela said the initiative was in addition to the daily efforts made by the metro to curb the spread of the virus.
“Every day, as the employees enter their respective premises, we do normal screening such as checking their temperatures. They also complete a questionnaire,” she said.
“We do not wait for positive cases to surface; we try and find them, through this regular monthly campaigns so we can curb the spread.”
Four hundred and ninety-four employees from regions 1 and 2 were screened on Wednesday at Sammy Marks. Only eight continued on for further testing.
In Soshanguve, 1 397 employees and 67 members of the public were screened and only three employees were tested.
On Friday, 736 essential staff members were screened and 72 tested at Eersterust Civic Centre.
The first step of the screening process included informing staff members about the virus and explaining to them what to expect during screening and testing.
The second step included registration and temperature checks, followed by a questionnaire.
“Should the questionnaire or the temperature check show there is a need for further testing, the person is taken to another station for pre-counseling ahead of the testing,” said Tamela.
“Once testing is done, employees are informed that results will only be received within 48 hours. The City will contact them.
Testing is always done privately in an isolated room.
Afterwards, post-testing counselling is done with the employee as well as affected family members.
“After every session we sit as a team and check how the day went and check our daily stats,” said Tamela.
“We also share this information with the Provincial Office of the minister so that they can know what is happening.”
She said the second phase, which will start on Tuesday the 12th May, would see additional staff members who are set to return to work being screened.
Once all staff members are tested, a full report would be compiled and sent to Province, office of the minister.
Tamela said the metro also had a responsibility towards members of the public, some of whom arrived at the screening centres asking to be checked.
“We cannot turn them away, we have a responsibility towards them,” she said.
Head of employee assistance program Nella Dick emphasised the importance of counseling for employees and their families before and after testing.
Dick, who conducted psychological intervention and counseling sessions, said many people had the misconception that having Covid-19 was a death sentence, which usually caused unnecessary panic.
“Many times people are very anxious because they hear one thing when it’s actually the other,” she said.
“I would try to calm them down, explain what the test entails and the steps to be followed should the test come out positive.”
She said anxiety could worsen one’s health, causing hypertension and worsen any chronic illnesses.
“Some people are asymptomatic. It needs to be explained that not everyone will show symptoms. We are all different.”
The program will continue throughout the month of May and will be rolled out twice a month going forward.
Photo: Nthabiseng Madumo
Photo: Nthabiseng Madumo
Photo: Nthabiseng Madumo
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