News release:

(COLUMBUS, Neb.) – Local public health experts believe there are likely cases of COVID-19 in the area and they are urging people to practice social distancing as much as possible to limit the spread of the virus. Due to a lack of available COVID-19 testing materials, they are also asking community members to follow certain procedures in order to be tested for COVID-19.

“Given what we know about this particular disease, we have reason to believe that it’s already here,” said Chuck Sepers, chief public health officer with the East-Central District Health Department (ECDHD).

Though there hasn’t been a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in the ECDHD area yet, Sepers believes that is due to a lack of tests, not a lack of COVID-19 cases.

“If there was a large availability of tests, we could screen everybody and we could understand who is sick and who isn’t, even if they’re not showing symptoms,” he said. “But because of that low availability of testing, we’re not able to see that at this moment.”

 This decreased availability of testing is caused by a shortage of COVID-19-related medical supplies across the country, including access to the swabs needed for testing.

“The capacity we have right now won’t allow us to do very many more than 2 or 3 tests a day,” said Dr. Mark Howerter, emergency department medical director at Columbus Community Hospital. “We’re hoping that changes. In the course of the day we may get information that we’re going to get more swabs and then we hear we won’t. It’s a fluid situation.”

Dr. Howerter said that many COVID-19 resources, such as those needed for tests, are likely being sent to the coasts where COVID-19 is currently a bigger problem. This makes it harder for states in the Midwest to get the supplies they need.

“I know there are people who are upset because we aren’t screening as many people and honestly, I can understand why they’re upset,” he said. “We’re upset that we can’t screen more people. We’re not testing as many people as providers would like to but we have to shepherd the resources we have.”

In addition to a lack of testing materials, testing is also being restricted by delays at labs that are seeing a rise in COVID-19 and other respiratory virus testing.

“With everyone wanting to get tested, the labs are getting overwhelmed. The reference labs are taxed out and it’s taking longer to get results” said Elizabeth Alexander, MT (ASCP), Columbus Community Hospital laboratory director. “We need to get our crucial patients priority testing so their results aren’t delayed.”

Local COVID-19 tests are currently being processed through two labs - the National Public Health Lab (NPHL) which is associated with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and LabCorp, a commercial lab.

In order to receive testing through the NPHL, patients must meet DHHS testing criteria which is based on travel and contact with patients with COVID-19. It also prioritizes tests for health care providers, emergency workers and people with other medical conditions. If people do not meet the criteria to be tested through NPHL, they may be able to receive testing through LabCorp. 

“We have a limited number of private lab tests that are sent out if we feel like somebody meets criteria from our standpoint,” said Dr. Howerter. “If their symptoms are suggestive, they’re in a high-risk group or we feel like it might make a big difference in their case management, we will go ahead and do those tests.”

In order to ensure that testing supplies are available to those who need it most, area residents need to follow a specific process to be able to receive a COVID-19 test.

If someone believes they may have COVID-19, they should contact their primary care provider by phone. If they do not have a primary care provider, they should call the ECDHD. The primary care provider or the ECDHD will talk to the patient about their symptoms and possible exposure to the virus. From there, the patient will be notified if they are approved to receive a COVID-19 test.

Starting Thursday, March 26, a respiratory screening location will also be set up at CCH.

People who have respiratory symptoms who want to be screened for COVID-19 will drive up to the hospital’s entrance near the emergency department. They will follow the signage to a screening location where they will be met by a nurse who will ask them a series of questions to determine whether they would need a COVID-19 test or not. If they are determined to be a candidate for testing, CCH will contact the COVID-19 hotline through the ECDHD and ECDHD will approve them to receive the test.

Whether or not they receive a positive COVID-19 test result, all individuals who are experiencing respiratory symptoms should stay home and self-isolate by separating themselves from others, including their family. This includes isolating themselves in a room and using separate bathroom facilities, if possible. If they develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, they should call their primary care provider or go through the screening at the hospital.

Since roughly 80% of people with COVID-19 have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, public health experts recommend that all people– even those who feel healthy – practice self-isolation or social distancing as much as possible.

“It would be a mistake to try to loosen up the guidance of flattening the curve now because we’re really thinking sometime in the next 7 to 10 days we’re going to see the curve start to rise in our area and in 3 to 5 weeks we could have a really serious problem, especially if we let our guard down now,” Dr. Howerter said.

Sepers agreed. “The most important thing right now is that we strongly urge folks to really be out of normal society now as much as possible,” he said.

 For more information about COVID-19, call 211, visit the ECDHD website at www.ecdhd.ne.gov or the CCH website at www.columbushosp.org.