Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob L. Greenberg | 201207-N-DA693-1027 SAN DIEGO (Dec. 7, 2020) Hospitalman Thomas Martin, a Sailor...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO – Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) opened an active duty-only drive-thru coronavirus (COVID-19) testing site Dec. 7.
Similar drive-thru testing sites at other regional Navy and Marine Corps bases are expected to be operational soon to augment testing on board Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD).
“We did a test run, or soft opening, last Friday to fine-tune our process,” said Hospitalman Thomas Martin, a Sailor assigned to NBSD’s Branch Health Clinic. “We’ve seen roughly ten patients so far, but we’re expecting 20 to 30 per day once more active duty service members get instructed to come here.”
The Sailors assigned to NBSD’s drive-thru testing site felt prepared to be on the front lines.
“Training is always ongoing, but I feel prepared and protected enough to carry out this mission,” said Hospitalman Cameron Champlain. “We wear our disposable isolation gowns, face shields, N95 masks and gloves. We’re helping out, making sure people don’t spread COVID-19.”
Job satisfaction remains high with the hospital corpsmen tasked with manning the new testing site.
“I feel great knowing that my Sailors are doing what they’re trained to do and taking all proper precautions while doing it,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Kevin Carranza. “They’re going to get it done, and I feel great knowing that we are all protected and taking care of ourselves. We’re taking every necessary precaution to carry out this mission.”
It feels good knowing that we’re supporting the fleet, fighting this pandemic together, said Martin. We only want everyone to be safe and remain mission ready.
NBSD’s drive-thru COVID-19 site offers anterior nasal swabs, which take approximately three to five days to get results back from an off-site laboratory. The nasal pharyngeal swab offered at NMCSD is tested at the hospital and usually takes one to three days for results.
NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.
Visit navy.mil or facebook.com/NMCSD for more information.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2020 18:42 |
| Story ID: | 384417 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 7,460 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, NBSD Opens COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing, by PO2 Jacob L. Greenberg, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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