Covid-19 | Calabria: EMERGENCY Launches Rapid Antigen Swab Service in Collaboration With Polistena Council

At the request of Polistena municipal council, as of Friday, 27 November, EMERGENCY will be running a rapid swab service for the most vulnerable people in the area and those most at risk from the virus.

‘This project is the result of a collaboration with the council going back to 2013, when EMERGENCY opened its clinic in Polistena. We’re sure we contain this virus by monitoring the local area. Tracing and prevention are essential steps,’ states Mauro Destefano, coordinator of EMERGENCY’s local facility.

Given the high number of cases (3,473 people in the province of Reggio Calabria are currently infected), the municipal council decided to do an epidemiological survey of the area, getting hold of 700 rapid antigen tests to give initially to poor households, council employees, police and school teachers. They will later be made available to all citizens, provided they book online.

EMERGENCY will give medical, nursing and logistical support, providing a doctor and a nurse at its facility. 

‘Through this initiative we want to try and identify and tackle the rise in Covid infections, and help the special assistance units, who are worn out at the moment. Being there for the most vulnerable people, who can’t afford treatment, or in this case have a swab done, is needed now more than ever,’ Destefano goes on.

The swabs will be done over three hours at a drive-in tent set up for the purpose in the Trinità pedestrian area. To avoid crowding and keep distances between people, you can only come to the facility by car from Via Jemma, and leave by Via Trinità.

Tests will be processed straight away and the results sent to the patients in about half an hour.

The campaign will last until 15 December and is open to all, provided they write to richiestatampone@comune.polistena.rc.it in advance.

EMERGENCY has been working in Polistena since 2013 out of a clinic that offers free services of basic medicine, psychological support, health education and socio-medical support for people who need to get into the health system. Since it opened it has provided 35,595 services. If you want to support EMERGENCY’s work and give free treatment to people in need, go to:
https://en.emergency.it/donate/