Gerhard de Jager and his mother Karin had to join the long but fast-moving queue at the Testaro Covid-19 testing centre in Bompas Road in Johannesburg on Monday morning after being exposed to the virus via a family member attending a friend’s birthday party.
The pair opted for the rapid test, costing R400, rather than the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, costing R850, to ensure neither of them had the virus.
Waiting the mandatory 15 minutes for the result, Gerhard said he was especially concerned because his mother was an asthmatic.
Karin, feeling annoyed about their 20-something family member’s decision to go to a party during the third wave, said: “I’m actually visiting from KwaZulu-Natal and I was meant to leave on Sunday but now, depending on what the test says, I will leave on Wednesday.
“It’s not common to hear about people with Covid-19 in KZN; here it’s rampant.”
She said despite the large number of people visiting the testing site, she felt completely safe there.
“They are changing masks and suits after each swab, every seat is sanitised and any pens you use are put into a bag that says ‘used pens’. We feel completely safe being here.”
Themba Maurick, a Covid-19 tester employed by Testaro, said most of the people he sees have been exposed to the virus through a sick person at work. There are also many people needing to travel who come to the site to get a clearance certificate.
Travellers receive a certificate of proof and, because the facilities have a private laboratory, the PCR tests take about 24 hours before the patient is e-mailed the result.
Testaro uses a paperless system, with patients scanning a QR code with a questionnaire to fill in. The information then goes to the testing station when it is the patient’s time to be tested.
Among those waiting for test results was English teacher Saul Kemack, who did a rapid test because he was going to Turkey on Wednesday to do a lecture on creative writing and sustainable arts.
“I’ve definitely been exposed. Three people at work have tested positive. I don’t feel sick but it would be a shame to miss the trip. I’m also supposed to fetch a friend from the airport this afternoon, which I won’t be able to do if I test positive.”
Next to Kemack was Anne Wilson.
“We went hiking in Baviaanskloof — 12 of us. Afterwards we found out the chef had Covid-19.
“Last Sunday I went for a test because he was quite sick towards the end of the trip and I wanted to be sure. It was negative. But a few other people also tested negative and they are now positive. I think we took it too soon.
“Half the group has Covid-19. The chef had a meeting with someone before the trip, and during the trip the person tried to get hold of him to say they had Covid-19 — but the chef had his phone off the whole time to enjoy the hike.
“He slept in a hut with some people and he made us all delicious food. Strangely some people he had close contact with are negative and others positive.
“Worse is that we were from all over — Joburg, Plettenberg Bay, Cape Town. I’ve had to cancel my holiday. It’s my mom’s 80th birthday this week and I can’t go and see her.
“I think people aren’t that worried about the virus because of the 98% recoveries [the latest NICD counts suggest the percentage of recoveries is 93%]. People don’t think it’s that bad, like a bad flu maybe.”
Sunday Times Daily also visited Epicentre Health Research centre in Parkview, Johannesburg, which had three vehicles parked at its drive-through Covid-19 testing centre.
Epicentre was doing the PCR test for R850 and patients were not permitted to leave their vehicles.
The site officials declined interviews, citing patient confidentiality.
In Rosebank, a facility near the Netcare hospital was also offering testing. Many patients had parked along the streets to take their test.
Car guard Lunga Mbulula said most of the patients going for testing were middle-aged and older.
“I’ve seen many park here. I’m not scared I’ll get the virus — I don’t think I’ll get infected by anything.”
Mbulula opened his left hand to reveal what he believed protected him from the virus. A palm full of mulled marijuana.
“This is how we are making sure we don’t get sick. We smoke and it keeps us safe. You don’t need to get the medicine from a sangoma — you can get it anywhere.”
Last week figures released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases showed that Gauteng bore the brunt of the new infections, accounting for half of the cases recorded on most days.
On Friday the Gauteng government said it was worried about a surge in infections in the province.
Last week saw a sharp increase in the number of new Covid cases, with young people aged 11 to 20 constituting a large percentage of the new infections.
“The increase in the number of new cases in Gauteng is exponential, which means we should expect faster running numbers with a higher peak than in the first wave,” provincial government spokesperson Thabo Masebe said.
“This is believed to be due to a large number of gatherings of many people, particularly young people, with no adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures, that is wearing of masks, physical distancing and hand and surface sanitising.
“These gatherings are superspreader events which result in the virus spreading fast. They must be avoided at all costs. The virus remains vicious and is looking for opportunities to spread, as more people travel and interact.”
Meanwhile, 15 minutes after Gerhard and his mother tested, they received negative test results.
“It’s a relief,” Karin said as she and her son made their way back to their vehicle and their daily lives.
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