CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources is working to ensure that the public and medical providers understand the current Coronavirus Disease 2019 testing criteria and the fact that supplies for such are not unlimited. COVID-19 testing is used in accordance with guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state’s public health lab, West Virginia Office of Laboratory Services, is the primary facility for COVID-19 testing until commercial laboratories and hospitals develop testing capacity for COVID-19. The state public health lab has remained available 7 days a week to provide testing for any health care or public health provider submitting specimens. At present, all tests submitted to OLS are being processed within a 2-3-day timeframe, often earlier. Most states are seeing turnaround time increase as testing submissions rise and supplies remain on backorder.
Since early March, two groups have been and remain prioritized for COVID-19 testing through OLS. These groupings prioritize the likelihood of finding disease (testing those who are most likely to have been exposed), support care for those most at risk, and support proper infection control in the health care setting. Individuals prioritized for testing by OLS include the following:
— Seriously ill individuals hospitalized or otherwise at high risk of complications: This includes seriously ill individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 who are hospitalized, near hospitalization or otherwise at highest risk of poor health outcomes (e.g., those who are elderly or have serious underlying chronic diseases, nursing home residents, etc.) and who do not have another identified cause for their illness (e.g., flu, other respiratory viruses). No history of potential exposure is needed for these patients.
OR
— Individuals at medium to high risk of having been infected: This includes any individual with symptoms of lower respiratory illness (fever, cough, shortness of breath) and a history of likely exposure to COVID-19 within 14 days of symptom onset (e.g., close contact with an individual confirmed to have COVID-19 or recent travel history from or living in areas with widespread community transmission) and do not have another identified cause for their illness (e.g., flu, or other respiratory viruses).
These are slight modifications of CDC Guidelines, focusing on those most ill in criteria one above, given that supplies are limited, and some products remain on backorder in West Virginia and nationally. They are subject to change. For current testing criteria, visit coronavirus.wv.gov.
All providers seeing patients meeting the above criteria and requesting testing through the state’s public health lab are asked to first obtain a public health consult in order to provide applicable patient information and coordinate specimen submission.
Most individuals who are seriously ill have testing arranged by their health care provider. Individuals with a likely history of medium or high-risk exposure (as per above) may contact their health care provider by phone or call the Coronavirus Hotline, 1-800-887-4304, to help determine their need for testing.
With any respiratory illness, individuals who are sick with fever, cough and other respiratory symptoms should stay home and self-isolate until fully well and cleared by a physician. During this time of anticipated large demand on the health care delivery system, individuals are asked to avoid unscheduled visits to health care providers. People who are mildly ill should not go to provider offices or be sent to emergency departments. Mildly ill people should stay home, follow CDC guidance, and contact their health care provider if needed.
Several state hospital systems are working to implement newly emerging commercial products. Commercial and hospital labs may establish their own testing criteria in conjunction with the submitting provider and typically do so in ways to best use available supplies needed for testing.
An information hotline to address public and medical provider questions and concerns regarding COVID-19 has been established. Operators are available 24/7, toll-free at 1-800-887-4304 to provide accurate information about COVID-19 and the risk to the public.
A daily update is posted by DHHR regarding the number of cases of COVID-19 at coronavirus.wv.gov. For more information, visit cdc.gov/COVID19.
