WHERE TO GET TESTED FOR COVID-19? | FREE STATE

“We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test,” World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday at a Covid-19 media briefing.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19?

Some people infected with the virus have no symptoms. When the virus does cause symptoms, common ones include:

  • low-grade fever,
  • body aches,
  • coughing,
  • nasal congestion,
  • sore throat.

COVID-19 can occasionally cause more severe symptoms like:

  • high fever,
  • severe cough,
  • shortness of breath – which often indicates pneumonia.

One of the symptoms of COVID-19 is shortness of breath. What does that mean?

Shortness of breath refers to unexpectedly feeling out of breath, or winded. But when should you worry about shortness of breath?
If you find that you are ever breathing harder or having trouble getting air each time you exert yourself, you always need to call your doctor.
Meanwhile, it’s important to remember that if shortness of breath is your only symptom, without a cough or fever, something other than COVID-19 is the likely problem.

Coronavirus Resource Center: Harvard health Publishing, Harvard Medical School*

WHO SHOULD BE TESTED

Testing for now, even in private labs will be prioritised for individuals that fulfill epidemiological and clinical case definitions and only if referred by a doctor.

Due to critical reagent shortages, COVID19 (SARS-CoV-2) testing will be restricted to patients with travel to areas where there has been sustained person to person transmission with in the last 14 days and seriously ill or hospitalised with severe pneumonia, or cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or measured fever of  38 °C. Testing will also be reserved for health care workers who attended patients with confirmed COVID19 (SARS-CoV-2) tests.

Corona virus info, Lancet Laboratories*

Good to know

CALL YOUR DOCTOR FIRST!! Don’t just show up and don’t rush to the emergency room!

Questions you should expect to be asked when you call your healthcare provider:

1. Do you have/have you had all of these symptoms?

  • Dry cough                          • Difficulty breathing
  • Sore throat                        • Runny nose
  • Tight chest                        •  Fever or chills

2. If you have been around anyone who tested positive for the coronavirus?

3.  If you traveled to or from any high risk countries?

If you have not answered yes to the above questions you most likely will be refused a test.

GET TESTED IN FREE STATE

IMPORTANT INFORMATION 

If you have symptoms it’s advisable to call your GP first. Your doctor will give you a form to fill from Lancet Laboratories. After go get tested from one of this address below with your form.

For prices, please contact the lab, prices can change between places. 

LENCET LABORATORIES.

Westdene, Drive through site*:
President Steyn 66, Westdene, Bloemfontein.
Mon-Fri 07:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 08:00-13:00

Welkom Lategan street 30, Welkom: 
Tel: (057)3521721/(051)4104080 for appointment.
Mon-Fri 8:00-17:0

Westdene *Drive through site* President Steyn 66, Westdene, Bloemfontein. Mon-Fri 07:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 08:00-13:00
Welkom Lategan street 30, Welkom (057)3521721/(051)4104080 for appointment. Mon-Fri 8:00-17:00

 

*The process typically takes 24 to 48 hours. But the process will probably start taking longer as a backlog builds.

CLICK HERE FOR

Coronavirus SA – Live Case Updates, news, stats & historical Timeline. 

COVID-19 BULK SUPPLIES