Ninewells hospital is one of 3 virology laboratories in Scotland to begin providing diagnostic testing for the Covid-19, the other 2 being Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Testing began on March 12 and, since then, the number of samples processed has steadily increased from 40 per day, reaching 280 tests a day in the past week.
A team of 13 technical staff have adopted a new seven-day testing regime to meet the rising demand of coronavirus testing in Tayside. This increase in capacity also allowed NHS Tayside to become the first health board in the country to test health and social care staff and their household contacts.
Clinical laboratory manager Chris Hind said: “Most results are turned around the same day, and all within 24 hours. “Once the sample has arrived in the laboratory it only takes four hours from the start of the test to reporting the results.”
“This has been possible, in no small part, thanks to the dedicated, flexible work by our biomedical scientists, the return of recently retired staff and the co-operation of colleagues from across NHS Tayside.”
“Our lab team, along with the staff and patient testing teams, is ensuring we can maintain and protect frontline services as much as possible. “All we ask is that the public help us in return: Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.”
Photo: Ninewells virology lab
