It’s a popular question—who needs testing for COVID-19? Not everyone needs to be tested for COVID-19.
“Most people have mild illness and are able to isolate and recover at home,” shared Thomas Meyer, MD, infectious disease at Indiana University Health Arnett. Those with mild symptoms should restrict activities outside of home, except for medical care.
“Stay away from others as much as possible, including in your home. Try to stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. You should wear a cloth face mask covering over your nose and mouth if you must be around other people, even at home. Avoid sharing personal household items and wash items thoroughly after use with soap and water,” added Meyer. “Healthy patients with mild symptoms should self-quarantine for a minimum of 7 days and 72 hours of greatly reduced coughing with no fever. People should self-isolate for up to 14 days from last close contact with someone infected with COVID-19 and closely monitor for symptoms of infection.”
If you are experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms and have possibly been exposed to the virus, you should contact your healthcare provider by phone, complete a COVID-19 screening through your health care provider or use the free IU Health Virtual Screening Clinic.
The Virtual Screening Clinic is staffed 24/7 with IU Health physicians, advance practice providers and registered nurses who will screen patients from home, potentially eliminating the need to visit physician offices, urgent cares or emergency departments. The IU Health Virtual Screening Clinic has screened over 25,000 patients since it was launched on March. 8.
Based on the screening results, a health care provider will recommend and facilitate appropriate care and provide direct access and communication with local hospitals as medically appropriate.
IU Health Arnett has set up a drive-thru specimen collection site to safely facilitate COVID-19 testing for patients who have been referred there by the IU Health Virtual Screening Clinic or an IU Health physician or advanced practice provider. The drive-thru testing site is located at the IU Health Arnett Outpatient Surgery Center, 1347 Veteran’s Memorial Pkwy. E., Lafayette.
Drive-thru testing hours are Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 1 pm.
Consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Indiana State Department of Health guidelines, IU Health tests for COVID-19 virus confirmation, not as a virus screening tool.