WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COVID-19 TESTING LIMITATIONS

TESTING FOR COVID-19 TODAY IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT SEEMS. EVEN IF YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER RECOMMENDS TESTING, THERE COULD STILL BE DELAYS IN GETTING TESTED AND RECEIVING YOUR RESULTS. TESTING SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED RIGHT NOW NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING SWABS TO COLLECT SPECIMENS AND LAB SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO PROCESS TESTS. THE PERSON WHO COLLECTS YOUR SPECIMEN FOR TESTING NEEDS TO WEAR AN N95 MASK FOR FULL PROTECTION, BUT N95S ARE RUNNING LOW AND ARE NEEDED FOR LIFESAVING CARE OF THE CRITICALLY ILL. LABS ARE OVERRUN WITH DEMAND, DELAYING RESULTS. IT NOW TAKES MORE THAN A WEEK FOR RESULTS TO COME BACK, EVEN FOR HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS. AND IN THE END, IF YOU ARE ONLY MILDLY TO MODERATELY ILL, GETTING TESTED FOR COVID-19 WILL NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR CARE. LET’S ALL FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF OUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND HELP KEEP TESTING SUPPLIES AVAILABLE FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COVID-19, VISIT CORONAVIRUS.GOV.