Medical workers in Liangjiang deliver nucleic acid tests despite hot waves

Medical workers from the First People's Hospital of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area carry out nucleic acid tests on students in Liangjiang New Area in spite of hot temperatures in Chongqing. [Photo/The First People's Hospital of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area]

30 medical staff members from the First People's Hospital of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area were sent to Lijia Middle School in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality on Aug 1 to carry out nucleic acid test sampling work in high temperatures.

This was the third round of nucleic acid tests delivered in the school since July 28, with the results of the previous two rounds being negative. Although the work was arranged indoors this time, workers still became soaking wet within an hour due to the thick protective clothing they wore.

"Medical staff members are required to collect at least one nucleic acid sample per minute in order to shorten the waiting period for students," said Zhao Furong, director of the hospital's quality control office. According to Zhao, all workers assigned to the testing site are emergency response personnel who have taken part in professional training.

"In theory, we allow workers to take off their isolation suits and take a break once every two hours, but considering the large scale of the test, workers seldom take breaks," Zhao added.

Before sampling work began, all facilities and devices in the testing site were examined and disinfected.

At another testing site in Lijia Smart Park, medical staff dressed in thick isolation suits spent nearly four hours testing 923 residents with local temperatures reaching 40 C.