Working at COVID-19 Testing Centre: My Experience

Although the risk of catching COVID-19 still lingers, venues including universities, schools and many work places remain open in the United Kingdom. Asymptomatic COVID-19 testing centres have been introduced in many universities and work places for students and staff who are asymptomatic but want to get tested to confirm if they have COVID-19. It is important to note that these tests are different from the laboratory tests carried out for diagnosing COVID-19. This test is specifically aimed for people who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. If a person shows any symptoms of COVID-19, they are asked to book a test using this link.

I recently worked at an asymptomatic COVID-19 testing centre at the University of Hull as a test processing operative. This testing centre was set-up temporarily for University of Hull students who were asymptomatic but wished to get tested for COVID-19 before returning home for Christmas. In this article, I describe the COVID-19 testing process at the asymptomatic testing centre at the University of Hull, hoping to give some insight into how this type of testing centre works.

Step 1: Registering

When a student comes in for the test, they are asked to log in to the venue by scanning a barcode using their NHS COVID-19 app. Further, they are asked to fill in their details in the app and a different barcode sticker is then provided to them (used during subsequent steps) which links with their specific NHS Test and Trace account. This step helps ensure that the student receives their results via NHS Test and Trace and that the identity of the student remains anonymous throughout the testing process.

(NHS Test and Trace is a government-funded service recently introduced in England and Wales to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. To find out more, click here)

Step 2: Taking the test

The student is then directed to one of the testing stations where a test assistant instructs them on how to take the swab samples. The test is self-administered by the student and involves taking a nasal and throat swab. The barcode sticker is obtained from the student and passed to the processing operative. The student is first asked to blow their nose into a tissue to get rid of the snot in order to increase the chances of potentially obtaining the cells with the virus on the swab. A throat swab is taken first where the student is asked to rub the tip of the swab on each tonsil about 5-6 times while making sure the tip does not touch any other part in the mouth. The same swab is then inserted in one of the nostrils until a slight resistance is felt. The swab tip is twisted for 5 seconds and can then be taken out of the nostril. The student is then asked to place the swab into an extraction tube containing an extraction solution with the tip inside the solution. This is prepared by the processing operative beforehand (more information in next step). The extraction tube (with the swab stick in it) can now be passed back to the processing operative for processing. The student is asked to sanitise their hands and clean all the surfaces they have touched with an antiviral wipe before they leave.

Swab stick used for taking nasal and throat swabs

A station where students take nasal and throat swabs

Step 3: Processing the sample and running the test

While the student is taking the nasal and throat swab, the processing operative prepares the extraction tube by pouring 6 drops of extraction solution in the tube and passes it to the test assistant. Once the extraction tube with the swab is received back, the sample is then processed. This involves extracting as much sample from the swab as possible by pressing the swab tip on the side of the extraction tube and squeezing the bottom of the tube while twisting the swab tip. Once the sample is sufficiently extracted from the swab tip, the swab can be discarded in a clinical waste bin. A cap is then attached to the extraction tube which acts as a nozzle and makes it easier for the sample to be poured out in drops.

Extraction tube with sample

The device used for the testing process is Innova SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing Lateral Flow Device (LFD). The device functions in a way similar to a pregnancy test. The barcode sticker, obtained from the student in the previous step, is stuck on the back of the device. Two drops of the processed sample is then poured from the extraction tube into the sample well (S) of the device. The sample flows laterally in the device which can be distinguished as the cartridge in the device gets soaked with the sample. The time is written on the device using a marker and the device is then left aside for 30 minutes. The results can be interpreted at 30 minutes and is marked on the device as + (positive), – (negative) or V (Void).

LFD with no loaded sample

Results:

If the device shows a red line only on C (control), the test is marked as NEGATIVE (-).

If the device shows a red line on both, C and T (test), the test is marked as POSITIVE (+).

If no red lines are observed or only a red line on T is observed, the test is marked as VOID (V).