Coronavirus: In an hour, around 50 samples can be tested in walk-in kiosks

Six walk-in kiosks for mass collection of samples for coronavirus testing - seen first in South Korea - have been built in Kerala's Ernakulam district. For now, these will be located at each of the four hospitals in the district, which have isolation wards and testing facilities.

A WISK (Walk-in Sample Kiosk) is a mobile cubicle with a sealed glass front, and have extended gloves attached in the front, through which a medical practitioner standing in the cubicle can collect samples.

Even a swab can be collected without direct exposure and contact. After the swab collection, the gloves can be sanitised from outside.

"This is being used in India most likely for the first time. And this targetting mass screening. This will reduce the need for more PPE kits, and we will be able to test more in less time. This will first start in Kalamassery Medical College," District Collector S Suhas told reporters.

"Each WISK cubicle costs Rs 40,000. In an hour, we can test around 40-50 samples. This drastically reduces the need for PPE kits and protects the medical practitioner and the patient. If COVID 19 reaches community spread level, we will need at least 20-30 such cubicles for the district," Dr Ganesh Mohan of Kalamassery Medical College told NDTV.

The walk-in testing kiosks enabled South Korea to conduct mass testing of coronavirus which helped the country to successfully put brakes on it. India has been trying to expand its testing facilities and move towards mass testing as advised by medical experts across the world.

