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Is testing more available now?

Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 | Last Active: Mar 30, 2020 | Replies (5)

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@sueinmn

@enska The need for testing is determined on a case-by-case basis, by your primary provider or by clinics specially set up to handle the virus. There are still not enough tests, or enough lab capacity, for on-demand testing absent serious symptoms and in most cases, concern about spread within a vulnerable group. As of this weekend, in many areas there is great demand for tests by those with significant evidence of virus AND known exposure, and there may not be enough tests capacity for them.
What Mayo is doing is processing more tests in its lab - in Minnesota they have taken a lot of the load off the Mn Dept of Health lab and helped work down the backlog of samples that hadn't been processed. I haven't seen anywhere that they are becoming a primary treatment site - and there are a limited number of cases in the immediate Rochester area. Moderators, can you tell us if the news in this respect is accurate?
If you even suspect you have Covid-19, the best thing you can do is quarantine yourself until 3 days after all symptoms have completely ended. This will protect other people, and help "flatten the curve." If you get more ill, call your doctor for directions.
Eventually, there will be a test available to determine whether someone already had the virus and recovered, but this is likely a year or more away for the general public.
The best treatment we have right now is to wash your hands and self-isolate.
Sue

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Replies to "@enska The need for testing is determined on a case-by-case basis, by your primary provider or..."

@sueinmn There are 51 cases in Olmsted County in Minnesota where Rochester is located. Here’s the breakdown by county for Minnesota.
https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/situation.html

Excellent info. Sue. Heard a doc from a N.Y. teaching hospital on the news requesting that people stop coming to the ER to request a test. Instead,if concerned they may have symptoms to check with their docs and health depts. Our hospitals are working so hard with short supplies and the ER staff really needs to be available for emergency care of patients.

Thank you so much, Sue! This helps a lot.