PCR Covid Testing Seronera - Serengeti

PCR COVID TESTING SERONERA SERENGETI

The sign says 8:00 but apparently they are there from 7:30am

Here's the link for the Ministry of Health Portal

https://pimacovid.moh.go.tz/#/booking

We arrived at 10:20am so I was already resigned that the test would not make it out today.

**tests taken before 9:30am are sent out once daily on the 10:30am flight to Arusha**

 Fortunately I had an extra day in hand to play with so not too stressed by that. 

The testing area is just a couple of minutes drive from the airstrip and was very quiet with the morning rush (if there was one) already passed.

The facility consists of hand-washing stations and 4 or 5 tents, the main two being:

•  The Waiting Area with colorful seats shaded by a canopy

   

• The Sample Collection Tent where a friendly young man took all my details down meticulously in a large ledger 

The doctor then appeared and I sat in the sample chair in a little alcove while he swabbed my mouth (mostly under my tongue) for about 10 seconds.

The doctor was very friendly and happy to pose for his picture even suggesting we should take a second one showing him putting the sample into the tube!

Notes

The detail-taker asked me several times the time/date of my departure flight (6:50pm Tuesday) and told me the result would be ready by 4pm on Tuesday – seems they are saying ready by 4pm the day after the sample goes to Arusha. I asked if there was any way to get your results faster to which he replied “Yes there is” in that kind of ‘maybe’ way …..and gave me a phone number for the lab – I took this to mean that from his end there isn’t a fast option but if you call the lab (or have someone who speaks Swahili call them) it may be possible for them to speed up your result.

Here’s my personal time-line

· Sample taken at 10:30am Sunday 16th (sample missed the Sunday flight to Arusha)

·  Sample goes to Arusha on 10:30am flight Monday 17th

·  Result predicted by 4pm Tuesday 18th

· Actual Result and certificate received via email (and on portal) 8:55am Tuesday 18th

·  Certificate dated Tuesday 18^th

Two more factors I think worth noting on this:

1. The volume of tests (from tourists) in mid-May is presumably very low so the sample process and result window may well be slower as the number of visitors increases.

2.  The certificate date being the lab processing date does help achieve the right timing.

Rapid Testing – Kilimanjaro Airport

One last side-note – I was approached by a friendly taxi-driver at Kilimanjaro who asked if I needed a rapid test – said it was just 2 minutes away and he could take me. Since I had not managed to get on wifi at this point so did not know that my PCR test was already processed I put this offer in my back pocket as a back-up plan – luckily not needed but worth noting for those travelling to US since a rapid test is also accepted for entry.

*** Disclaimer I have no verified info on that at this point other than a friendly taxi-driver …. will update if I learn more***