CORONAVIRUS SERVICE PASSES THE TEST!
The Government’s coronavirus testing system has come under fire from some. But businessman Mark Brickhill has come forward to share his own positive experience. Fahad Tariq reports...
BUSINESSMAN Mark Brickhill has praised the Government’s under-fire coronavirus testing process - after booking his test and getting the result within 37 hours.
The grandad needed tests for himself and wife Mandy after their 20-year-old daughter, Bella, tested positive at university in Leeds.
The couple had gone out for a meal with Bella and 22-year-old son Buffy on September 30.
In a rapid turnaround, the couple: Searched for ‘coronavirus tests near me’ on the internet at 10am on Monday, October 5 and were immediately given four different test centres: Crewe, Newcastle, Stokeon-trent, or Chester;
Had their tests at the new Crewe walk-in test centre at 5.30pm that day;
Received their negative coronavirus test results at 11.27pm on October 6.
Mark, who lives in Hough, is the chief executive of Cheadle-based auto parts manufacturer Klarius.
He said: “My wife and I look after our grandaughter because her mum works for West Midlands Ambulance Service as a 999 call supervisor. The rules are that if you are a key worker or providing childcare for a key worker we can be tested. This week my wife is looking after our grandaughter and that wouldn’t have been possible if we hadn’t had that test.
“It was very clear how to register. I answered all the questions on the registration process which took three to four minutes.
“An electronic QR code is sent to your phone and it’s electronic when you arrive at the test centre. They scan your QR code, it’s
super-efficient. When we got there we joined what was a relatively short queue. The test slots are in 30-minute chunks. There is a security guy outside who manages social distancing. You are then called into a great big marquee.
“After hand sanitising, your QR code is scanned and you wait for someone. Our total wait time was less than five minutes. We were taken to a testing booth which we had seen being cleaned and wiped down after the previous person had used it. The hygiene standards
seemed to be very good. Then we sat down, one at a time, and were taken through the test process. They supervise and you do it yourself.
“There is a mirror in front of you and you take the swab out, it’s all sealed up and secure, and you swab the back of your throat and up your nose. It takes a couple of minutes to do the test.”
Each test kit is then sealed and scanned with the QR code.
Mark added: “They have people working around the clock, I was really impressed with that.
“I thought it was exceptional and outstanding.
“Most of the people at the test centre, I would say, were in their 20s. They were young people providing a great service in potentially an environment of high risk.
“Everyone we saw was professional and diligent. They were making sure that you felt reassured in the environment you were in and making sure it went as smoothly as possible. I wanted to say thank you and tell a true, positive story.”