WORK?

KDKA HEALTH EDITOR DR. MARIA

TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT GOES

INTO CORONAVIRUS TESTING.

IF YOU COME DOWN WITH A COUGH

AND FEVER IN THE COMING DAYS AND

THINK IT COULD BE CORONAVIRUS,

DON'T IMMEDIATELY RUSH TO YOUR

LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM.

WE WOULD RECOMMEND THEY

CONTACT THEIR PRIMARY CARE

PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH CARE

PROVIDER AND SEEK SEEK GUIDANCE

FROM THEM

IF YOU ARE DIRECTED TO THE

HOSPITAL YOU WOULD BE FIRST

PLACED IN AN ISOLATION ROOM.

THERE IS A STEP BY STEP FROM

PROCEDURE SHEET.

THE FIRST STEP IS TO CONTACT THE

HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THERE.

WE COLLECT THEM, PUT

THEM IN A SHIPPING CONTAINER.

UNTIL TODAY THAT LAB COULD

PROCESS ONLY SIX TESTS A DAY.

LATE THIS AFTERNOON THE STATE

HEALTH SECRETARY ANNOUNCED THE

LAB CAN NOW PROCESS 25 TESTS A

DAY.

STILL A FAR CRY FROM WHAT

MEDICAL EXERTS EXPECT THEY WILL

NEED.

THE TESTING ITSELF IS QUICK.

I THINK IT DEPENDS ON VOLUME.

LABS ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO

TRY TO GET MORE TESTING SITES TO

ACCOMMODATE A POTENTIAL NEED FOR

INCREASED TESTING.

THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY HEALTH

DEPARTMENT AND ALLEGHENY HEALTH

NETWORK ARE NOT YET TESTING FOR

COVID-19.

MEANWHILE UPMC SAYS IT IS

DEVELOPING ITS OWN LAB ANALYSIS.

IF YOU CAN STAY HOME, STAY

HOME AND FOLLOW ONE YOUR

PHYSICIAN.

DON'T JUST PRESENT TO A HOSPITAL

BECAUSE WE REALLY DO WANT TO

STAN IT.

YOU SHOULD GO TO THE

EMERGENCY ROOM IF YOU HAVE A