Cross River State Commissioner for Health and Chairman of Covid-19 Response Taskforce, Dr Betta Edu on Friday afternoon during the Covid-19 Testing and Sample Collection Centre at Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital, Calabar disclosed to Press men that testing of already collected samples of COVID-19 has started following the completion of the training while the walk in drive-through testing will begin on Monday 7th July, 2020
The Honorable Commissioner who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Barr Takim Asu Takim and Special Adviser Health to the Governor, Dr David Ushie call on Cross Riverians who may come down with symptoms of Covid-19 irrespective of class to avail themselves at the Sample Collection Centre, Lawrence Henshaw Infectious Disease Hospitals for testing.
She said the reference laboratory has the intensity and capacity to bring out eight test sample result from the Gene xpert machine and 96 test sample results from the PCR machine every 45 minutes in an accelerated speed that could enable the state record almost 500 test per day.
According to her, testing has began today but you can drive- through by. Monday. She called on all not to panic as Covid-19 is not a death sentence but should come forward for testing as the need arises.
Dr Edu stated that Cross Riverians at this moment that were not keeping to the state prevention guidelines and COVID-19 Taskforce protocols should sit up as State government would not condone such act again especially as we move towards the most decisive 2nd phase of Covid-19 prevention Control.
