Health Department confirms county has COVID-19 test kits
Currently, there are no cases of COVID-19 in Dubois County, according to the health department.
County Health Officer Dr. Theodore Waflart stated the county does have test kits available but only the most critically ill will be screened to receive the test.
He also reported that no one in Dubois County has been tested.
The Dubois County Health Department is meeting daily with Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center and community leaders to address all the issues concerning this pandemic, officials stated in a press release.
The test is a nasal swab and the county is abiding by the Indiana State Department testing guidelines which are:
1.) Severe illness with fever and lower respiratory symptoms, constituting:
a. Admission to the hospital and needing addition critical care support (high flow oxygen, bipap, intubation or admission to the intensive care unit)
b. Negative for other respiratory illnesses, i.e. – influenza
2.) Healthcare workers (inpatient, outpatient, nursing homes, etc.)
a. Symptomatic with fever and lower respiratory symptoms and in their role has potential or unknown exposure to at risk patients
3.) Long-term care facility residents or prison/jail residents and staff with fever and respiratory illness and otherwise no known COVID-19 contact.
a. Negative for other respiratory illnesses i.e. – influenza
The Dubois County Health Department is prepared for any monitoring that may be necessary, however, to date, no one has been identified that has required monitoring.
The main symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of air. Most people with these symptoms do not have COVID-19. As with any respiratory illness, if symptoms are mild, please stay at home while ill.
Other factors such as age, health risk, contact exposure, and severity of the illness will require further advice.
We urge people with questions about their individual illness or who feel they need further evaluation to contact their health care provider or contact the Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Alternative Screening Site at 812-996-6330.
People with respiratory symptoms should take precautions and not expose themselves to others and practice social distancing.
Maybe only testing those that show severe symptoms that still dont show positive testing of the covid-19 might allow someone or more people with less severe symptoms that possibly could be positive with the virus slip thru the cracks and could infect others which in turn would be the worse case scenario for us all, #test everyone to ensure all that are positive for it to ensure containment of the virus # just a educational view from a concerned citizen. Lives are the more important issue vs the cost of test !
My husband works for a state prison and we both have symptoms and have been tested negative for flu. I have a auto immune system disease and i am very worried but, no one will test yet. What can i do without paying a large copay at er?