There is a current surge of COVID-19 in the world and in Bourbon County. Those who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms have several options to choose from for testing for the disease.

Fortscott.biz contacted five area medical agencies to look at their requirements and costs for testing.

Requirements are very similar, and most costs are covered by insurance, the government CARES Act or other means.

The return time to receive the results back varies in each facility.

Here are the results:

 

SEK Urgent Care, Pittsburg

From Angie Andrew, administrative assistant for Dr. Brent Cosens and PA Michele Cosens.

Requirements: call the Bourbon County Health Department

Cost: $125

 

How long for results?

One-half hour

 

 

Girard Medical Center

From Girard Medical Center’s CEO Ruth Duling:

Requirements:

* a physician’s order to be tested for COVID-19.

*a call to their laboratory for an appointment.

 

How long for results?

* within 24 hours.

 

Cost?

* most health plans cover the COVID-19 test.

“We will make every concession possible for an uninsured patient,” Duling said.

 

 

Community Health Center

From Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Communications and Marketing Manager Robert Poole:

Requirements:

* individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms,

*those who have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.

“A close contact is defined as any individual who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated,” Poole said. “It is recommended for persons with close contact exposure to wait five to seven days following their exposure to be tested, for improved test accuracy.”

 

Poole submitted  the Kansas testing strategy link: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1294/Kansas-Lab-Testing-Strategy-Priorities—6-10-20

Cost?

* $140, however, the cost of patient testing is being covered by the CARES act, currently.

How long for results?

* 14 days, “with the number now decreasing.”

On the horizon for CHC:

“In another two weeks, we expect to be doing in-house molecular testing using Abbott ID Now testing equipment which delivers results in 30 minutes or less, with a capacity of up to 1000 tests per week, system-wide. We ordered this equipment very early in the pandemic and have been waiting since for it to arrive.”

 

Why do results take a while?

“Across the country, the very high demand for Covid-19 tests exhausted many lab’s physical capacity, (manpower, equipment, logistics) as well as their abilities to obtain raw testing supplies,” according to the CHC press release. “That issue continues, see the latest from Quest Diagnostics, who has processed more than 100 million tests to date.   https://newsroom.questdiagnostics.com/COVIDTestingUpdates”

 

“General tips:

For people with medical conditions and older adults

Older adults and people of any age with medical conditions like lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes are at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 and should seek care as soon as symptoms start.

Separate yourself from other people in your home.

Stay in a specific room away from others and use a separate bathroom if you can. Do not share personal household items. Wear a mask and maintain 6ft. distance if you need to interact with others.

Stay home except to get medical care.

People who are mildly ill are able to isolate at home. Rest, stay hydrated andmonitor your symptoms carefully.  If your symptoms get worse, seek medical care. Call before you go to prevent others from being exposed.

Wash your hands often & avoid touching your face.

Wash frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, and before eating or preparing food. If soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your face.

Designate someone to clean high-touch surfaces every day.

Clean counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, phones, keyboards and bedside tables. Use diluted bleach solutions (4 teaspoons per quart of water), alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol or most common EPA-registered household disinfectants.”

 

 

Nevada Regional Medical Center

Holly Bush, Chief Quality Officer, Quality and Compliance at NRMC, Nevada MO   provided the following:

Requirements:

* a doctor’s order sent to NRMC lab or

*participate in workplace screening if  workplace has made the decision to screen.

 

Cost?

*”No cost…insurance or if uninsured, through…. recent legislative acts.”

 

How long for results?

* 3-5 days, in a few instances up to 8 days.

“Right now … within 48 hours but there is not a guarantee of this. If you sign up for the patient portal, you will get your results at the moment we have them.”

 

How long are the results good for?

“That is a good question with a long answer.

The CDC states if you test negative for COVID 19 by a viral test, you probably were not infected at the time your sample was collected.

However, that does not mean you will not get sick.

The test result only means that you did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing.

You might test negative if the sample was collected early in your infection and test positive later during your illness.

You could also be exposed to COVID-19 after the test and get infected then.

Technically a negative test ONLY means you aren’t actively shedding virus at the time you were swabbed. It’s possible you were infected but not far enough into the infection to be shedding virus, which is why guidelines for asymptomatic patients call for waiting at least 72 hours after known exposures before testing.

And of course, any exposure after being tested means you could be infected.”

 

 

Rebecca Johnson, administrator of Bourbon County Health Department sent the following info.

 

To clarify terms:

• Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
• Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

 

“WHEN SHOULD I STAY HOME?

• After you have been tested for COVID-19, until told otherwise by the County Health Department
• If you have been in close contact with a confirmed positive COVID-19 case, until told otherwise by the County Health Department
• If you are feeling sick
• If your Doctor or the County Health Department has instructed you to do so

WHEN SHOULD I GO BACK OUT IN PUBLIC AFTER ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE?

• When you have been instructed to do so by your County Health Department

HOW LONG COULD MY ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE LAST?

• If you are in isolation because you were tested POSITIVE for COVID-19, your isolation time is a minimum of 10 days after onset of symptoms or testing date (if onset unclear or asymptomatic). You can be released from isolation after fever free and asymptomatic for at least 72 hours. Release from isolation is up to the County Health Department.
• If you are a household contact of a positive COVID-19 case, you must quarantine for a minimum of 24 days. Release from quarantine is up to the County Health Department.
• If you are a non-household contact of a positive COVID-19 case, you must quarantine for 14 days from the date of last contact with the positive case. Release from quarantine is up to the County Health Department.

You may contact your County Health Department by calling:

Bourbon County: (620)223-4464