The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday strongly urged confirmed COVID-19 cases to make sure the cellphone number they leave when receiving a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is correct, as all disease prevention notifications would be sent to that number.
Victor Wang (王必勝), deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division, also asked personnel at PCR testing stations and healthcare facilities to confirm the phone numbers with test recipients.
Test result notifications are sent as text messages to test recipients, so having the correct phone number is crucial to following administrative procedures after being confirmed as a COVID-19 case, he said.
Photo: CNA
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said when the notification and self-reporting platforms were first established, up to 40 to 50 percent of the phone numbers were not up to date.
While the problem has improved, about 10 percent of the test recipients’ numbers are still incorrect, he said.
“We ask testing station workers to help confirm cellphone numbers with the recipients, and the recipients to be patient and check if their cellphone number is correct,” he said. “We only need to spend an extra 10 seconds to do it right, but it can help the local government’s frontline workers avoid a lot of unnecessary effort and allow the procedures to run more smoothly.”
Separately, as people aged 65 or older could take their positive result from a rapid test to a doctor for COVID-19 diagnosis starting yesterday, Chen reminded them of some safety precautions when seeking medical attention.
“Please put the test cassette in a zipper bag when taking it to a healthcare facility and do not wrap it in a handkerchief or tissue, as the cassette is considered a contaminated item,” he said, adding that they should not use public transportation when going to a healthcare facility and wear a mask during the trip.
“Please inform the workers that you have tested positive with a rapid test when reporting at the check-in counter,” Chen said. “Do not go to other outpatient clinics or eat at the hospital’s food court.”
They should follow health workers’ instructions and visitor flow arrangements, and avoid chatting, eating or drinking, with the exception of drinking water when needed, the CECC said.
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