Sick Patients? Do you still need to test them for COVID-19? Experts Say There is One Easy Answer.

There is another COVID-19 variant and your office, facility and/or pharmacy is filled with patients who are sick. Cases are up, but hospitalizations and deaths are down. Do you really need to test them for COVID now?

As this article from INVERSE points out, understanding what your patients are sick with means they can receive the correct treatment. And that is the first step to getting better, as well as making sure we never return to 2020/2021.

PHASE Scientific understands that no one wants to return to the pandemic hardships or challenges we all faced in our families, communities, and health systems. We have to be proactive, and having patients tested or testing themselves is how we do that.

How COVID-19 tests work – A refresher for your patients/consumers.

When should you test? If your patients/consumers have symptoms, test immediately. If they do not have symptoms but have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before taking a test. If an at-home antigen tests gives a positive result, it means your patients/consumer most likely have the virus and should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance to stay home, isolate from others, and seek follow-up care with a health care provider.

But, if your patients/consumers test gives a negative result, test again 48 hours after the first negative test, for a total of at least two tests. If you get a negative result on the second test and you are still concerned that you could have COVID, take a third test 48 hours later.

The US government announced last week they will be re-opening COVIDTests.gov and once again deliver four free tests to households who request them. Even the government wants to make sure there is no pandemic threat of the future. Even with these free testing options, your patients/consumers need to be prepared and you as their healthcare guide need to have the right testing supplies to fulfill the upcoming need. After all, it is testing which will help make sure all of our families and friends stay healthy this season.