Winnipeggers tested for COVID-19 seek peace of mind for themselves, loved ones

Amandeep Dhillon reaches into his pocket witha motion that's become almost instinctive in these uncertain times. He pulls outaminiature bottle of hand sanitizer andsqueezes out some of thelast drops.

"I'm running out," Dhillonlamentsand he doesn't know how to findmore.

A shortage of hand sanitizer isanother uncertainty facing Dhillon, one of thousandsof uneasyManitobanssent to clinics andnondescript warehouses equipped to test potential carriers of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

A recent traveller fromIndia, Dhillon, 29, doesn't feel like hecontracted the virus that's killed one Manitoban and 27,000 others worldwideso far, but he cannot shake the thought that he might.

He worries aboutthe symptoms he has the stuffed nose, the cough, the slight chest pain and the memory of a sneeze he keeps replaying in his head.

A weekearlier, as his lengthy transatlantic flightwas reaching its end, aman in his 50s or 60s sitting in the seat behind himwas sneezing. Dhillon doesn't know if the man contracted the virus that's derailed the world's economy, grounded flights and cancelled mass gatherings.

"It's the one thing that's still on my mind," he says.

Moments after taking the testhimself, Dhillonwalksto his car,parked onWinnipeg's Main Street. It's a sunny day, but he might not see much more of that sun while hunkering down at home.

Self-isolation urged

At Winnipeg'stesting clinics for COVID-19, the stream of patients on a recent weekday is rarely overbearing; it's more of a trickle.

Some people share a few commontraits: Masks covering their faces, the hurried motion of disinfectant being rubbed on hands, the pamphlets they carry encouraging self-isolation.They head offin their vehiclesas they await their test result and to continue their 14 days of self-isolation.

Jeff Reid hops out of theMount Carmel Clinic, a North Endhealth centre doubling as a COVID-19 testing clinic, wearing a protective mask over his face. He slipsit off as he approaches his vehicle.

Reid is a train conductor by profession, andwas told by his employer to report for testing. A week and a half earlier, he travelledto the United States for work. He became short of breath, he coughed, but Reid feelsbetter now. He doesn't think he has COVID-19.

"Yeah, I guess," he says, when asked if he'll isolate himself from family and friends.

Railway workers aren't required to self-isolate, but are askedto do so if they develop mild symptoms.

"They say that, but I'm an essential employee."

Only for people showing symptoms

For now at least, theCOVID-19 clinics in Manitoba are exclusively for people who show symptoms, and byreferralonlyno walk-ins.

Initially, the province was only testing symptomatic people whotravelled outside the province, who had been in close contact with a confirmed case or who worked with COVID-19 tests in the lab. Manitoba had 64 probableand confirmed cases as of Saturday.

That criteria was expanded lastThursday to other symptomatic individuals, such ashealth-care workers andthose who live and work in remote communities or group settings shelters or long-term care facilities are two examples.

When they show up, they'll meet a number of health-care workers, decked in long gowns, masks and skin-tight gloves.

At Mount Carmel, aworker is stationed just inside the aged brick-coveredbuilding, referring patients to the conveniently located hand sanitizer station.

The patientsapproach a desk with several medical professionals running a brief screening, where they ask about travel history and symptoms. They refer patients to a lobbyspecifically for people who may have COVID-19. The chairs are spaced out to encourage patients to stay away from each other.

Test irritating, ticklish

Often, the patient load is manageable there were only 14 patients on a recent day, 34 patients the next. The wait is only a few minutes.

They'retaken into a smalloffice next,where more questions are posed. Then the patient tilts their head back, and aswab resemblinga long Q-tip is poked up one nostril and down their throat.

Dhillon says his eyes watered. Each patient describes the feeling differently:it's irritating, it tickles, it'snot that bad, they say.

The mood of nearly everyone leaving the test is upbeat. They applaud the health-care staff and say the whole experience around 20 minutes was quicker than they expected.

In a lot of ways, these testing clinics have becomearoll call of people who left Winnipeg and returned hometo a pandemic unrivaledin their lifetimes.

Drive-thru testing

More than 10 kilometres south of the North End clinic, a Fort Garry centrenow existsto examinepeople while they're in their vehicles.

"It's a lot faster and painless than I thought it was going to be," says AJ Basi.

A professional basketball player in the U.K., Basi'sseason wascut short by the pandemic's arrival. In his one weekin Winnipeg, he's been relegated to the basement of his parents' house as he self-isolateswhile they stay upstairs.

At thisCOVID-19 drive-thru clinic, each driver is greeted outside bysecurity workers withsafety vests wrapped over their jackets. From at least one metre away, they jot down the personal details and contacts of every personbeing screened.

The security worker stretches her arm and hands the paper to the patient, who reaches out from the window they cracked open. The worker calmly discards hergloves, sanitizes herhands and slips on a new pair. She goes through this motion between every patient.

The patient then drivesinto a massive warehouse-like garage, but they'reprohibited from stepping out. They speak to a medical professional from within the closed cocoon of their vehicle.When asked, they presenta paper against the window so it can be read on the other side.

They only roll down their window when it's time for the test.

Incase hehascoronavirus, Basi's being careful. It's become his habit to use hand sanitizer.

"I'm more so concerned about passing it on to other people," he saidfrom his vehicle, now parked in the lot of a nearby grocery store.

Around him, he sees shoppers hauling groceries you'd be excused for forgetting apandemic washappening, even for a moment.