Dear Members,
Further to Newsflash 66, this is to inform you that FAO Senior Management has now decided that the rapid antigen swab testing for COVID-19, available on headquarters premises in a drive-through modality, will be extended to accommodate retirees from all the Rome-based-Agencies and their immediate families, as of Thursday, 3 December.


Testing days and hours

To facilitate this extension, from Thursday, 3 December, the hours for drive-through testing will be from 9:30 to 13:30.

From then, testing will be available to colleagues and retirees while testing on Tuesdays and Thursdays will remain for FAO employees from 9:30 to 13:00 by a nurse and a laboratory technician from the external practitioner in the designated drive-through area on headquarters premises. Every precaution is being taken to ensure the safety of this modality which will take place exclusively in front of building A. This is a provisional pilot in agreement with competent health practitioners in Rome.

Who is eligible

All Rome-based-Agencies employees and their immediate families; permanent representatives. Please note that for UN employees, a family member is defined as the spouse/partner, child, parent, brother or sister of a staff member.

Making an appointment

Appointment booking may be made exclusively by completing the form available above sending it by email to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> (note underscore between smigh_ scree…). Testing results will be communicated verbally to those tested within 30 minutes of carrying out the test, and by email within the following 24 hours.

Payment

Payment for the rapid testing (Euro 35) is due upon booking confirmation (bank transfer) and prior to testing.

Testing process

Once at FAO headquarters, enter through main vehicle gate, display your UN ID while keeping all your car windows closed. Once your ID has been verified, proceed to follow the signage and drive towards Gate 2.

When it is your turn, you will be invited to pull up to the testing area (a gazebo with personnel from the relative health authorities).

At that stage, you will be authorized to open your car windows, however it is very important that you never get out of your car through this whole process.

Subject to verification of the supporting documents and the appointment invitation, a tester will come to your car window and take a swab from the inside of your mouth and/or nose. You will then exit via Gate 2. The swab will be sent for testing, and results will be communicated verbally to you approximately after 30 minutes.

Test results

Should the rapid swab test result positive, a sample will be taken at the same time for a molecular confirmation test (PCR), which will be transmitted to a laboratory within the COROnet network and results communicated accordingly.

FAO colleagues are reminded that they should stay at home until they receive the results of their test. Those tested should take care to confidentially report their results back to FAO Health-Services (CSLH).

Please be informed that this is an exceptional arrangement that is being piloted in these exceptional times and as such is subject to modification and fine-tuning as we move forward.



Best regards,

FFOA Secretariat



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