By Bruce Corcoran
As of Friday morning, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance officials report 127 people have gone through the C-K COVID-19 Assessment Centre in Chatham, with about one in five being tested.
Lori Marshall, president and CEO of the CKHA, said 23 of the 127 were swabbed to be tested for COVID-19. The majority of those have been sent home, while four were sent to the emergency department.
Fifteen existing hospital patients have also been tested.
“We continue to have just the one positive patient in hospital. We have 15 patients who have been admitted who have been swabbed and are awaiting those results,” she said.
C-K Public Health announced two more cases of COVID-19 for the municipality, but added that they are self-isolating at home.
Marshall said anyone who fears they may have COVID-19 is asked to first conduct an online self-assessment through Telehealth Ontario’s website at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0.
The next step is to reach out to your primary care provider or C-K Public Health.
“If, after discussion with their family physician or through Telehealth, they are still recommended to go to the Assessment Centre, they will go there and be clinically assessed,” Marshall said.
Even if you reach that point, swabbing is not automatic. Marshall said the majority of swabs are for individuals who have a “high probability of requiring admission to hospital” or for health-care workers, as they are listed as priority patients.
“If there was a larger supply of testing kits, there would be more swabbing done, Marshall admitted.
For people who feel their symptoms are mirroring those of COVID-19 infection, but are well enough to remain at home, and for those who attended the Assessment Centre and did not get swabbed, addressing the issue is the same as those who have been swabbed.
“There is no difference in the treatment approach. It (a swabbing) is really to monitor the virus’ progress,” Marshall said.
For those ill and not hospitalized, you are to self-isolate for 14 days.
