Pella Regional Health Center recently issued the following announcement.
Pella Regional wants area business and industry leaders to know that it remains difficult to receive enough COVID-19 testing supplies to meet the current demand. The increase in COVID-19 cases in our area is further stressing the resources available to us. Please be aware that Pella Regional will perform COVID-19 testing ONLY when a patient meets specific high risk criteria or is scheduled for a surgical procedure. Patients are not guaranteed a COVID test when presenting to our walk-in clinics or emergency department.
At-home rapid tests are similar to the tests performed at Pella Regional locations and it is unlikely that an at-home test would show a false positive. If a test is negative and the person is not feeling well, it is recommended to repeat the at-home test after 24 hours. If the at-home test is positive, the individual should follow the CDC guidelines for isolation and, if needed, seek care. There is no need for Pella Regional to re-test for COVID-19.
If an individual has been exposed to COVID-19 and has mild symptoms or if there are no symptoms (asymptomatic), they should not go to the emergency department or walk-in clinic to request a test. Instead, individuals should purchase an at-home test from a pharmacy, request free at-home tests at COVIDTests.gov or visit TestIowa.com to find a test pick-up site near you. Individuals should seek care if they are experiencing severe symptoms or if they are at a high risk of serious illness
Pella Regional continues to follow CDC guidance and believes that vaccination, wearing masks, practicing social distancing and handwashing remain our best defense against the COVID-19 pandemic. We must continue to balance the resources available with the ongoing concern for managing the health and safety of everyone who needs care. By following this testing policy, we can conserve resource for those who need it most.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up