In an effort to ensure safety of health workers in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak, state-run Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Cuttack has developed a portable walk-in kiosk for collecting samples from suspected coronavirus-infected persons, an official said on April 30.
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Inspired by a similar initiative taken by medical staff in South Korea, a dedicated team of 4 skilled trainers of the institute started working on the project and developed the mobile sample collection unit, its principal said. This will help health workers maintain social distancing norms while collecting samples from people, he said.
The walk-in sample collection kiosk is a mobile cubicle with a sealed glass on its front side that protects the health personnel from getting infected with the virus while collecting the samples, he said. "Gloves are fitted with the front side of the kiosk, through which a health worker standing inside the cubicle can collect samples. "The entire structure is supported with wheels at the base for its mobility and has internal electrical fittings.
Swabs can be collected without direct exposure and contact," the principal said. The gloves can be sanitised from outside after collection of swabs, he said.
A walk-in kiosk costs around Rs 30,000 and will reduce the requirement of personal protective equipment, he said. Such mobile sample collection units have also been installed in hospitals in Kerala and Jharkhand. Skilled trainers from fitting, electrical, painting and carpentry trades have collaborated for making the mobile unit in six days, the principal of the institute said. The work for finding innovative solutions in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak was entrusted to the ITI by the state's Directorate of Technical Education and Training (DTET).
A team of the institute has already developed two service robots to be deployed in Covid hospitals, the principal said. Odisha reported 128 COVID-19 cases so far and a total 31,696 samples have been tested across the state, a health department official said.
