With COVID-19 numbers on the rise in the area, testing centers are experiencing an increase in demand. Crossing Healthcare is currently the only IDPH site offering testing in Decatur and they are working to meet community needs.
“The mission of Crossing Healthcare is to provide care to underserved populations and to meet the healthcare needs of our community. We are deploying all available resources toward this goal and right now the need for COVID-19 testing exceeds our capability. We are actively redesigning our processes to improve efficiencies and seeking help from community partners to better serve our community. We will continue to do our best to ensure that our neighbors receive testing and care. At the same time, we will continue to provide high-quality primary care to our more than 20,000 patients that depend on our clinic for care.” said Tanya Andricks, CEO of Crossing Healthcare.
A reminder that if you have been in close contact (exposed) and you do not have symptoms, per IDPH guidelines you need to self-quarantine for 14 days. You do not necessarily need a test. A negative test does not get you out of self-quarantine. There are some exceptions for people who work in healthcare and critical infrastructure and they need to check with their employer for instructions.
If you have been exposed to COVID-19, getting tested too soon can give you a “false negative.” It takes time for the virus to build to a “detectable level” (you have enough virus in your system to make the test positive). It takes several days. One study demonstrated that at 4 days, you can have a 40% chance of having a false negative test. If you have been exposed and are asymptomatic, a negative test does not get you out of quarantine. You have to wait for the entire 14 days.
If someone who has been exposed to COVID-19 develops symptoms, they should check with their primary care provider. They may want to test them to confirm the diagnosis and can give them further instructions for self-quarantine, monitoring their symptoms and when they can return to work/school, etc.
If you develop symptoms and you do not have a known exposure, check with your primary care provider. Testing can confirm if you have COVID-19. You should self-quarantine until you get your results. If you have a negative test under these circumstances (another illness/condition is causing your symptoms), you may be able to end your self-quarantine.
