Health

Coronavirus: Steps to confirm COVID-19

On Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis shared that the Florida Department of Health is now able to test for coronavirus. Labs are currently set up in Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami to conduct the test.

“This allows test results to be available within 24 to 48 hours. Currently the CDC is taking up to five days for results,” DeSantis said. “Obviously they have a lot of testing that they’re having to do.”

Here are the steps being used to confirm a case of COVID-19:

  1. Patient comes to doctor with coronavirus symptoms ​
  2. Note: DeSantis said Monday that, “The public health emergency also advises that individuals who believe they may have been exposed to Covid-19 [should] contact their local county health department prior to traveling to any physician’s office, emergency department, hospital or urgent care center.”
  3. Patient is tested for flu, the common cold and other respiratory illnesses
  4. If those tests are negative, an on-call number with the county health department is contacted
  5. Doctor explains symptoms and patient travel history to health department
  6. The county health department will make recommendations to the state health department for further testing
  7. State health department decides if samples should be collected
  8. If they decide samples should be collected, a hospital will collect the samples and send them to one of three state labs
  9. If positive, the sample is then sent to the CDC to confirm it is a case of Covid-19
  10. Lastly, hospital and state departments of health will discuss a treatment plan for the infected patient