Take a coronavirus test in Minsk

Coronavirus infection COVID-19 affects different groups of people to varying degrees. Most infected people have a mild or moderate illness and do not need hospitalization. But, unfortunately, in many people the virus passes in a very serious form, and, in such cases, an infected person needs to be urgently hospitalized.

Symptoms of Coronavirus

Commonly observed symptoms:

1) an increase in body temperature;

2) dry cough;

3) weakness.

Some infected individuals may also experience:

1) various pain;

2) sore throat;

3) diarrhea;

4) conjunctivitis;

5) headache;

6) loss of smell and taste;

7) a rash on the skin or depigmentation of nails on the arms and legs.

Symptoms of a severe form of the disease:

1) shortness of breath;

2) a feeling of constriction or pain in the chest;

3) impaired speech or motor functions.

What to do when symptoms appear?

If you have symptoms of a severe form of the disease, seek medical attention immediately. Before visiting a clinic or hospital, call and warn about your visit.

On average, 5-6 days elapse between the moment of infection and the onset of symptoms, but in some cases this period can take up to 14 days.

Coronavirus test in Minsk

What is a test?

The coronavirus test is the following procedure: medical workers come to your home (workers are dressed in special suits, wearing masks and gloves), then workers take your biological material (smear from the nasal mucosa and throat) using a special long wand. They can also take blood for analysis.

Where to take a coronavirus test in Minsk?

Biomaterial (smear) collection points are open throughout the country. They are at border crossings, in infectious diseases hospitals (departments), in individual clinics (based on the offices of infectious diseases).

In Minsk, you can go to the public health institution “City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital” (Kropotkina St., 76, phone number of the admission department: (017) 334-14-33) and the public health institution “City Children's Infectious Clinical Hospital” (53, Yakubovsky St., reception office phone: 365-57-57).

There are also hot lines in the country:

- in the Republican Center for Hygiene of Epidemiology and Public Health, calls are received by phone 8 (029) 156-85-65 on business days from 8.30 to 13.00 and from 13.30 to 18.00;

- A hotline has been opened for residents of Minsk on issues of coronavirus infection in the Minsk Infectious Disease Hospital. Calls are received from 8.30 to 15.00 by phone 8 (017) 334-34-68.

In addition, you can do the analysis for coronavirus in paid laboratories such as Sinevo, Invitro, SynLab.

Coronavirus test for free

A free analysis will be done only in case of symptoms of coronavirus or if you are on self-isolation and are a first-level contact.

Coronavirus test for a fee

Anyone can take the test for coronavirus for a fee in special departments.

Time required for verification

The analysis is done from 2 to 10 days. It depends on the place where you are doing the analysis, as well as what kind of biomaterial you have. As a rule, a blood test is done faster than a smear.

Laboratory examination

What is a laboratory examination?

In connection with questions arising regarding laboratory examination for coronavirus infection COVID-19, the Ministry of Health reports the following.

In the country, biomaterial sampling points (smear) were organized to examine a certain contingent of patients for coronavirus infection: at checkpoints when crossing the State border of the Republic of Belarus (on the basis of sanitary-quarantine points), in infectious diseases hospitals (departments), in separate polyclinics (on the basis of offices infectious diseases).

In the event of symptoms of a respiratory disease (fever over 37.1 ° C, coughing and others) in people returning from countries that are epidemiologically favorable for coronavirus infection within 14 days after their return, as well as in people related to “contacts of the 2nd level ”is necessary - to call an ambulance and inform you in the symptoms and the fact of returning from an epidemiologically disadvantaged country (indicating the date of return) or that you are being monitored as“ level 2 contact ”. A laboratory examination will be carried out at the place of hospitalization.

Given the current epidemiological situation, all other citizens undergo laboratory tests for coronavirus infection COVID-19 - only if there is evidence and in the direction of a doctor!

Laboratory examination at the isolation site

Persons who have had close contact with a patient with a confirmed case of coronavirus infection (the so-called “Level 1 contacts”) are isolated and undergo a laboratory examination at the place of isolation.

“Contacts of the 2nd level” (those persons whose probability of infection is extremely low: the contact was not long or close) are under medical supervision, their laboratory examination is inappropriate.

Laboratory examination at the hospitalization site

Those who infected with coronavirus are usually hospitalized in case of deterioration of well-being and when the infected person needs constant medical supervision.

Rapid tests for coronavirus

An express test for coronavirus should be done only when there is a reasonable suspicion that the person is infected.

When will the rapid tests appear in Belarus?

The Minister of Health in an exclusive interview with ATN explained: at the first stage, rapid tests will be distributed among medical facilities. And after all, everyone will be able to undergo testing for the subject of a coronavirus infection. In addition, in the relevant department they plan to conduct in central districts centralized studies of all patients who have been on sick leave for the past two months with ARVI.

Vladimir Karanik, Minister of Health of Belarus: “Rapid tests show the presence of antibodies. That is, they either show the presence of M immunoglobulins, which contribute to the active infection process, or those who have been ill a month or a month and a half ago, detect immunoglobulins G. These are immunoglobulins of memory, that is, accordingly, if a person has a suspicion that he has been ill with this infection in a mild form, he will have the opportunity to undergo testing and either confirm these concerns or refute them".

The first rapid tests have already been delivered to the Brest and Gomel regions. These rapid tests are distributed according to the need and concentration of patients with COVID-19. So, 20 thousand test systems were sent to the capital of Belarus, 11 thousand each to Vitebsk and Brest regions, 10 thousand each to Gomel, Grodno, Mogilev regions. In addition, 10 healthcare institutions included in the Ministry of Health were transferred thousand tests.

Recall that this supply of rapid tests for the determination of antibodies in the blood for the COVID-19 virus arrived from China. These systems were purchased at the expense of Belarusian citizens, directed to a charity account of the Ministry of Health.

Express test cost

Taking into account the cost-intensive testing organizations, the cost of the test is about $ 4.2.

Time for express tests

Rapid tests are done much faster than conventional laboratory tests. The result, as a rule, can be found out during the day.

How to check yourself for coronavirus at home?

Tips are simple and clear:

1) Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you successfully complete it without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness - this indicates that there is no fibrosis in the lungs, you have no infection.

2) Serious excellent advice from Japanese doctors treating cases of COVID-19: the mouth and throat should be moist. To do this, drink water every 15 minutes. Why? Even if the virus enters your mouth, drinking water or other fluids will wash them through the throat into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill the whole virus. If you do not drink water regularly, the virus can enter the airways and lungs. It is very dangerous.

Photo: hyser.com.ua, cdn.minval.az, 5.ua.