[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – I am not a person who likes to have things pricked, be it needles, an endoscope or any dental equipment. So when I was asked to do a swab test, not just once but four times, I was prepared for the worst.
The swab test is a crucial part of Singapore’s fight against the coronavirus, and the policy since July 1 has been that all patients 13 years and older who are diagnosed with an acute respiratory infection (ARI) are Get tested for Covid-19.
But from July 1 to August 16, only three out of four patients agreed to have a swab test.
Patients who decline the swab test receive five days of medical leave, during which they are legally required to stay home. If a physician assesses that a patient meets the definition of a suspected case or has a prolonged ARF at the end of the five-day period, the patient is legally required to undergo a swab test.
According to the Ministry of Health (MINSA), some patients said they were afraid of the discomfort of the smear process.
The Health Ministry and the doctors I spoke to had said the test is quick and only causes “mild discomfort.” But being a skeptic, I wondered if authorities were downplaying the experience to encourage more people to come forward for tests.
I decided to try it out for myself, with a lot of fear and trembling beforehand.
Test 1: Nasopharyngeal swab (performed by SwabBot)
Process: A rotating swab is inserted into the back of the nasal cavity by a specially designed robot
I started with the test that made me the most nervous. Having a cold, insensitive piece of metal stick a stick up your nose isn’t exactly an experience you look forward to.
The interesting thing about this smear method is that the patient decides when they are ready to start. Once I hooked the small plastic nose piece under my nostrils (a 100% painless experience, as disconcerting as it may sound), I lightly pressed a button with my chin to activate the smear process. In this position sitting in front of the robot, it almost felt like she was doing a mechanized eye exam.
A soft mechanical noise indicated that the swab was moving towards my nose, and I braced myself for what I anticipated would be a burst of excruciating pain.
Instead, the sensation I had was similar to the one I have when water accidentally enters my nose while swimming. It hurt a bit, but the machine was incredibly smooth and the process was over in seconds.
It wasn’t completely painless, but it certainly wasn’t as painful as other experiences I’ve had before, like biting my lip or pinching myself, and it definitely wasn’t painful enough to make me cry.
Discomfort level: 3/10
Test 2: nasopharyngeal swab (performed by a human)
Process: A healthcare professional inserts a swab into the back of the nasal cavity and rotates it
After letting the machine run, I decided to see what the experience would be like when conducted by a human health professional – in this case, Dr. Paul Tern, a medical officer in the Department of Internal Medicine at Singapore General Hospital.
Several doctors I spoke to had said that some patients are more afraid of this particular swab and tend to flinch or jerk their head off the tester reflexively when the swab enters their nose.
Fortunately, Dr. Tern took the time to explain the process to me. Knowing what to expect helped me relax and not tense up.
I didn’t feel the swab at all until it hit the back of my nasal cavity, which was when I experienced the now familiar sensation of having water in my nose while swimming.
This time, the pain was a bit more and I felt my eyes sting but not fill with tears.
Once again, however, the process finished much faster than I expected, in a couple of seconds.
The pain in my nose lasted for a few minutes after this swab, although it may have been the result of having the same nostril rubbed twice. The same nostril was cleaned, and about three minutes after the previous test, to be able to compare the sensation.
Like the test performed by SwabBot, this one was not painless, but it was definitely not as painful as people had made it out to be, much less unpleasant for me than getting an injection.
Discomfort level: 4/10
Test 3: nasal swab
Process: A healthcare professional inserts a swab partially into the nose and rotates it
ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
This test ended before I knew it. Nasal swabs, Dr. Tern explained to me, differ from nasopharyngeal swabs in that the swab is only partially inserted through the nose.
This makes it almost completely painless. For me, the feeling was like digging my nose and going too far.
Unfortunately, the lack of depth also means that such swabs must be combined with other tests to be effective, such as the oropharyngeal swab.
Discomfort level: 1/10
Test 4: oropharyngeal swab
Process: A swab is inserted into the back of the throat until it touches the tonsils and is moved to collect samples.
PHOTO SAN: ONG WEE JIN
This particular test uses a slightly thicker swab, which looks like a cotton swab. Dr. Tern told me to open my mouth, stick out my tongue and keep saying “Aah” as he moved the swab to the back of my throat to collect samples.
I thought this test would be the most enjoyable of the four, since we usually put things in our mouths and throats, rather than putting them in our noses.
It turned out that he was half right, as the process didn’t hurt at all. However, it led me to discover that I have a gag reflex that I did not know about.
Despite the complete absence of pain, I instinctively choked when the swab touched the back of my throat, surprising me, but not Dr. Tern, who said this happens with some patients.
It took another two tries before I could suppress my reflection and he could properly cleanse me.
It was a painless process but quite uncomfortable (albeit enlightening) for me, but patients who do not have such a strong gag reflex may find this test more enjoyable than those involving the nose.
Discomfort level: 5/10
He had gone to the tests skeptically, suspecting that authorities and doctors might have downplayed the discomfort to avoid scaring people off.
But none of the tests were as painful as I had imagined, and certainly not as uncomfortable for me as other medical experiences, such as drawing blood or getting an endoscope, especially since I was rubbed three times in the same nostril, while most of patients need a swab only once in each nostril.
Tryouts aren’t a walk in the park, and you certainly wouldn’t pay to keep doing them over and over again for fun.
But since swabbing is free to those who are screened in need, and it can provide peace of mind and help protect not only patients, but also their loved ones and society as a whole, I’d say they should be appreciated. and undertaken rather than avoided.
[ad_2]
