Update #2 COVID-19 Testing Services - Further Support Resources
Potential Scenarios for Applying the new COVID-19 case definition and testing strategy We have created a flow chart illustrating the pathway for managing patients who meet the new COVID-19 case definition, and the different scenarios that apply for those patients who meet Higher Index of Suspicion (HIS) criteria and those who do not. See accompanying flowchart.
General PPE guidelines in health and disability care settings for COVID-19 Alert Level 1 This PPE guidance should be read in conjunction with the Frequently Asked Questions. These posters were updated on 25 June 2020 to reflect the new COVID-19 criteria and case definitions published on 24 June 2020, including the clinical and Higher Index of Suspicion (HIS) criteria. They will help you decide if you need PPE or not before putting it on, based on whether you know the person you are interacting with has probable or confirmed COVID-19 (or they meet the Clinical and Higher Index of Suspicion criteria), or whether the person's COVID-19 status is unknown. If a person’s COVID-19 status is unknown, there are some risk assessment questions you need to ask ideally ahead of the interaction (ie, phoning the client before visit or with signage at your health facility), or if not possible, while maintaining at least 1 metre physical distancing from them. No matter what someone’s COVID-19 status is, you should always follow routine infection prevention and control precautions (Standard Precautions as well as any necessary Transmission Based Precautions) for all care. Alert Level 1: Risk assessment questions if COVID-19 status is unknown - 25 June 2020 Alert Level 1: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required when caring for a COVID-19 case - 25 June 2020 Alert Level 1: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for taking COVID-19 naso/oropharyngeal or throat swabs - 25 June 2020
Āwhina App If you are yet to download this new mobile app, Āwhina, we recommend you do as it provides quick access to the current Ministry of Health COVID-19 guidance and clearly lists when documents have been updated. Āwhina is free to download from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. For more information visit Āwhina app.
1 WBOP PHO Covid Testing Update #2 29 June 2020
Update #2 COVID-19 Testing Services - Further Support Resources
New COVID-19 Patient Information Sheets Advice for patients following a surveillance COVID-19 swab has been released today for are low risk people with symptoms. This follows the information sheet released last week for patients identified as a ‘case under investigation’. These are people with symptoms that may be COVID-19 and have one or more of the Higher Index of Suspicion (HIS) criteria. See accompanying information sheets. Halcyon COVID-19 Form Missing Data Needed for National Reporting: There have been a significant number of Halcyon forms submitted with missing data. It is very important that clinicians complete the form in full, and this includes: • Delivery mode • Assessment Type • Case Definition meet (means has meet Clinical Criteria) • Recent Travel and source of infection • All relevant clinical information is completed • Swab Completed - Yes or No Reminder of the 3 possible scenarios for the Swab completed section: 1. Virtual Assessment + Pathlab Swab referral = Yes Swab taken 2. Virtual Assessment + Swab in your practice = Yes Swab taken 3. Virtual Assessment + swab at A and H or another practice = No Swab taken
Pathlab Update - Timeframe for COVID-19 test Results: Most of the backlog of COVID-19 testing from last week was cleared over the weekend. Some swabs from late last week are not yet processed or were sent outside the BOP for processing, and those results should be available in the next 24 hours. Using this timeline as a guide, please contact Pathlab to follow up any results that are missing. Pathlab expect to have the turnaround time back to 48 hours this week as they have an increased capacity to process 750 swabs per day.
2 WBOP PHO Covid Testing Update #2 29 June 2020