COVD-19: Mindef's mobile swab station to aid in testing efforts at dormitories
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has rolled out a Mobile Swab Station (MSS) to assist in conducting swab tests at migrant worker dormitories.
Essentially a modified Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Cross Country Ambulance, the MSS is fitted with a swab protection screen.
“The MSS supports the ITF (Inter-agency Task Force) in the current swabbing strategy for foreign workers. It allows the ITF to proactively swab foreign workers in the non-purpose built dorms as part of the ITF’s overall swabbing strategy,” said Mindef in a news release on Wednesday (13 May). Thus far, one MSS has been deployed for swabbing operations.
With the MSS, swabbing operations can be up and running within 15 minutes. Each MSS can also be set up by three operators, “namely the transport operator, the healthcare personnel conducting the swab, and another personnel to collect the swab sample after the swab is completed,” said Mindef.
The MSS also allows swabs to be conducted on-site without the need to transport potential patients to a separate medical facility.
“The safety of personnel involved is also enhanced as swab operations are conducted in a safe, enclosed space with positive air pressure, thus improving the ergonomics and safety of the personnel,” said Mindef.
The ministry is also working on two other MSS prototypes to be ready by end-June: a Multi-Utility Vehicle equipped with one swab station, and a 20-foot Container that will be equipped with three swab stations.
As of noon on Wednesday, there have been 25,346 confirmed COVID-19 infection cases in Singapore, the vast majority of whom are migrant workers living in dormitories. A day before, the multi-ministry taskforce heading up the country’s battle against the coronavirus said it would be ramping up its swab testing efforts at the dormitories.
Improving admin operations
Also being used since 9 May is the Mobile Express Scanner (MExS) application, which helps speed up the registration process during on-site swab testing. It allows for quick scanning of identity documents, the data from which is then consolidated into a secured central database.
“The MExS reduced the average registration time from four minutes to less than one minute,” said Mindef, noting that this also reduces the amount of time swab administrators spend with patients, while also ensuring accuracy in the tagging of swab samples.
Thus far, 10 MExS sets have been deployed to 38 sites islanwide.
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