In light of an increasing number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Santa Clarita Valley, health officials from Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital are sharing information on when residents should be tested.
Anyone who is suspected of having the coronavirus should first contact their primary care physician, who may be able to direct patients to a local testing site and help them avoid waiting in the emergency room, according to Dr. Tracy “Bud” Lawrence, medical director of emergency care at Henry Mayo.
“We never really want to discourage people from calling their physician for help,” Lawrence said.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital now offers a drive-through testing system to not only streamline the testing process, but protect medical staff and other patients, according to Lawrence.
Although testing resources are currently fairly limited across the nation, Lawrence said that conditions are set to change in the next two weeks.
“We have to be very smart about how we use these resources,” he said. “We’re focusing testing on high-risk groups… Most other people are not being tested because a majority of people have a very mild course of illness, and testing these patients is not a wise use of our limited resources.”
Higher-risk individuals who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or are pregnant should consider contacting their providers earlier if they become sick.
Anyone who develops emergency warning signs for COVID-19 is instructed by officials to get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include, but are not limited to:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or inability to arouse
- Bluish lips or face
For anyone who is mildly sick, public health officials suggest that they stay home for at least seven days, and 72 hours after being fever and symptom-free, according to the CDC.
Basic treatment for a mild case of COVID-19 is similar to a common flu treatment, suggesting plenty of rest and fluids, according to Lawrence.
“Since the virus is now known to be in our community and we have had person-to-person spread, if it seems like you have COVID-19, you probably have COVID-19,” said Lawrence. “If there is a suspicion that you have COVID-19, you shouldn’t be walking about the store or the gas station, you should be staying home.”
Lawrence noted that the personal precautions that have been mandated to help address the coronavirus, such as social distancing, are not very different from the ideal precautions to deal with other viral diseases, such as the common flu.
“We aren’t that aggressive with the flu, but in a perfect world, you would be asking people to do that, to quarantine themselves, to not go to work, to apply social distancing,” Lawrence said. “We’re not that aggressive with the flu, but we need to be with this virus.”
Lawrence notes that Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and its medical staff are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best, placing themselves on the line in order to help protect the community at large.
“The hospital is very ready and prepared, and I really feel comfortable and confident about that,” said Lawrence.
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Thank you! FINALLY. Some straightforward information about when and how to get tested!