Dutchess County States How Initial COVID-19 Testing Works (

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PUBLISHED: March 5, 2020

UPDATE: Testing is a rapidly evolving situation. Visit this New York State COVID-19 Page for the most up-to-date information.

Testing for Coronavirus (as of 3/21/2020)
- Get the up to date information here at the New York York State COVID-19 Website.
The experience of getting testing changes. As it changes, New York State updates their COVID-19 website.
According to the New York Sate Website:
- (As of 3/21/2010) “Testing is free to all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider or by calling the NYS COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-364-3065.”

New York State and Dutchess County urge you to not go to your doctor or an Urgent Care without calling them first. The medical professionals need to prepare to see you. If you have it, it exposes their office and other patients.

Your doctor may use a tela-session with you also. Governor Cuomo has waved all co-pays for tela-health visits (3/14/2020). Several insurance companies have waived testing and other costs associated to testing.

OLD AND ORIGINAL INFORMATION (3/5/2020):

Please Note: We’re only keeping this here because it is a documentation of how everything started rolling out.

A Little Beacon Blog reached out the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health to discover how testing for the new coronavirus works, if you were to experience symptoms and want to get tested.

Christopher Formisano, a communications specialist with the department, responded:

 

“If you believe you have contracted COVID-19, call ahead to your primary care doctor or urgent care so that they can take necessary precautions prior to arrival. Do NOT go directly to the hospital unless you are in distress.

”Currently, testing for COVID-19 is not readily available to medical providers. Doctors, following guidance from NYS Department of Health and CDC**, determine if testing is warranted and then make necessary arrangements.

”**From CDC: ‘Clinicians should use their judgment to determine if a patient has signs and symptoms compatible with COVID-19 and whether the patient should be tested.’ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html

”Testing still goes through a centralized process with testing being done at Wadsworth Lab in Albany and the NYC Public Health Lab. Once testing is available commercially, anyone will be able to go to their primary care doctor or an urgent care and get tested.”

 

Christopher went on to state that are currently no known cases in Dutchess County, and provided advice:

  • “COVID-19 (or Coronavirus) is a droplet-spread disease, much like the flu or the common cold. Person-to-person spread occurs mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms are very similar to the flu, ie fever, cough, shortness of breath.”

  • “We are encouraging residents to monitor and get up-to-date guidance from trusted sources - including our County webpage on coronavirus www.dutchessny.gov/coronavirus and take basic prevention efforts including:

    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

    • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

    • Stay home when you are sick. Rest and recover.

    • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Most household sprays and wipes will work.

    • Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue (not your hands), then throw the tissue in the trash."