May 13, 2020
Testing for COVID: A local response perspective
By Daniel Arens
While there is a huge emphasis on conducting as many tests as possible for the novel COVID-19 coronavirus, this emphasis is balanced by the reality of the limited amount of tests available.
For local providers, this balance means testing must be looked at on a case-by-case basis.
“If you have the particular symptoms on the CDC or North Dakota Department of Health webpages, and your provider thinks you have symptoms, they’ll test you,” Darrold Bertsch, Sakakawea Medical Center and Coal Country Community Health Center CEO, said. The Hazen CCCHC clinic has been designated to take in patients who display these symptoms, and all patients displaying respiratory symptoms will be referred by their providers to Hazen’s clinic.
