Vending Machines at the forefront in COVID-19 fightback

As the world tries to combat the Coronavirus small strides are being made everywhere including inside the Vending Machine industry. In Latvia, for example, they have installed the world’s first vending machine that issues COVID-19 tests and stores the samples. The machine is located just outside of the large Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital in the country’s capital city of Riga.

The machine is the first of 100 planned to be rolled out across Latvia in the coming weeks. The machines dispense PRC swab tests which will then be swabbed in the throat and nose. Once the swab is completed the test swab is then stored in the machine for later collection and testing at nearby labs with results announced within 24 hours.

Latvia has also been at the forefront of installing vending machines which dispense disposable face masks at railway stations.