Risk of catching covid at a walk through test site??

[WtfHuh1122]

I normally get home PCR tests delivered but decided to go through a nearby walk through test site instead this time.

I was surprised that it's just walking into indoor cubicles one after eachother. The person before you is sneezing because of the noise swab and they walk out and the next person walks in and opens their mouth wide open to start the test. How is this safe in any way? I feel like I've been more exposed to covid than before now!

I was about to say zero chance, as the ones near us are outdoor only. Bizarre.

They are kept very clean! Cubicles wiped down between uses and I think they don't use them back to back.

I used the drive through test centre this time because omicron is more transmissable.

The one I have been too everyone is kept well distanced and everything is cleaned between every person. Certainly didn’t feel risky in any way

@ALittleOldLadyTookInHerGoat how do you clean the air in an indoor space with no windows open? Just seems very odd to me. And I didn't notice much of a delay between one person walking out and the next walking in

Our ones are basically tents in car parks so there is lots of ventilation.
Plus cubicles not being used back to back, if that's correct.

I'm sure someone has considering this eventuality now the planning

Ours is like this. I often wonder how long it takes the staff to fall ill with covid

Yep. I thought the same about our local one OP , so I only ever get tests delivered now.

DH went to the drive in. Someone in the car in front dropped the test kit as they were trying to out it in the sample box. DH said everyone looked terrified and got long grabbers to pick it up! Staff were quite rattled. When we went last I said some nutters might try to infect the staff. I wonder if they catch it themselves from the centre.

This is why I always use drive through. You don't really come into contact with anyone else.

I've been wondering about this now with highly infectious Omicron. Before I would have said the risk is low but covid is airborne and has been shoen that people have been infected by walking past someone (CCTV Study in Australia) or at big open air type stadiums.