The establishment of the Mobile Swabbers Team under the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, PHEOC, Ministry of Health last year has facilitate the public who is the close contacts of positive COVID-19 case and unable to attend the swab centres in the country, to undergo the swab test. The team moved to private homes, Isolation Centres, dormitories or residences for foreign workers. Since the country faced the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, 17,538 RT-PCR swab tests have been conducted by the team, while the 14,618 Antigen Rapid Tests have been conducted since August this year.
The mobile team is based in the UNISSA Male’s Hostel building and Berakas Health Centre with over 20 teams conducting the mobile swab test led by officers and staff of the Ministry of Health as well as with the assistance of volunteers from government departments and youth. With the capacity, swab tests can be conducted to about 800 people in a day. According to Doctor Hajah Nurul Sa’idah Binti Haji Ishak, Senior Medical Officer, the function of the team was to make it easier for people who are unable to attend the swab centre, including those who have certain problems such as those lying in bed or those who use wheelchairs and those who is unable to drive on their own.
Source: Radio Television Brunei