CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State health care leaders are continuing to study coronavirus test and lab options as the number of cases continues to rise.
Dr. Cathy Slemp, the commissioner and state health officer with the Bureau for Public Health, said during Monday’s coronavirus press briefing changing forms of technology are becoming more available to states.
“We are working with a team at a strategic level to ensure two things,” she said, “how do we best diversify the systems across our clinical diagnostic laboratory networks so that we aren’t caught by individual reagent shortages with any one technology, and how do we best acquire and utilize some of the new rapid points of care testing both for field and outbreak and investigation purposes. And also to maximize our work force’s ability to get back to work for essential service employees when they are ill.”
State coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh said he would welcome point-of-contact tests, which are capable of producing results in up to 15 minutes.
“If we do get to the surge of the COVID patients and hospitals, which we hope we can avoid, it would be very valuable to roll this out around health care workers who may get symptoms,” he said.
Marsh added while he is excited about additional testing options, it’s important for West Virginia to have multiple options to allow all states to receive necessary supplies.
“If one company runs a little bit low, have another company whee we can get the material is important for us to balance our hope to really expand testing for all West Virginia,” he said.