Vehicles in line waiting outside a health center for the drive-through PCR test. Photo: Twitter/@sidbawanyz
Doha: Clinics in Qatar are seeing major rush for PCR tests all over the country and many people are changing the travel plans as the test results are getting delayed.
One person planning to travel to India in another two days said that when he reached a private clinic at 5 am he received the 153rd token and by 7 am they were all over.
Even some drive-thru centres witnessed massive lines of vehicles trying to get inside the centres for the swab test.
A Twitter user posted a photo of long line of vehicles waiting to get inside the health centre saying “Nightmare... We can't leave our home... All are waiting for PCR... Going on since 2 days now.”
Most clinics are cautioning people that the test results will take more time than usual and in some cases over 48 hours. People who are travelling to countries which need results taken within 48 hours are in dilemma on how to obtain the same before leaving the country.
“There is some delay in getting RT-PCR reports on time since last two weeks and it has taken 36 hours to 48 hours and even 70 hours for few of the cases. Hence, it’s completely your discretion to perform the Covid-19 test in our facility for travel purpose and any delay in report for travel will be only at your risk,” a private clinic said in its message.
The clinics have a fixed number of slots for testing and its getting over in the morning itself.
A few people we spoke to said they changed the travel dates as they were not able to get the test done on time. “Why not have some preference for people who are travelling as the change in plans costs money and completely derails all the planning,” one of the people we spoke to wondered.
There were also long lines in many clinics to receive the test results as it is mandatory to visit the clinic to collect the same.
