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Kaleida Health expands COVID-19 testing: General public can now tested - symptomatic or not

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Fri, May 8th 2020 12:10 pm

Kaleida Health on Thursday announced it has once again expanded laboratory testing for COVID-19, adding anyone in the general public, who is interested or needs it, regardless if they are symptomatic or not.

The expanded testing by Kaleida Health is designed to accommodate anyone in the Western New York community who believes they may have been exposed to or at risk for COVID-19.

In order to get tested for COVID-19, a lab order requisition (prescription) is required from the individual’s primary care provider/office.

Testing is done at three sites and results can be returned in about 48-72 hours.

Individuals can schedule a test by visiting https://www.kaleidahealth.org/coronavirus.

Important to note is individuals who are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (asymptomatic) at the time of sample collection would not be subject to an Erie County Department of Health Isolation Order.

This is the seventh expansion for Kaleida Health and its labs for COVID-19 testing:

1. Originally focused on symptomatic/critical patients and front line hospital workers at two central sites.

2. Added hospital system employees from the Catholic Health System, the VA, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and ECMC, as well as first responders from across Western New York.

3.  Added essential workers, as defined by New York state (transportation, hotels, food processing, child care services, auto repair, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.).

4.  Expanded to communitywide testing, adding anyone in the general public who has been deemed symptomatic and has a prescription to obtain testing.

5.  Opened a third site, an East Side location (Leroy Coles Library on East Delevan Avenue ) in conjunction African American Health Disparities Task Force, Erie County, the City of Buffalo.

6.  The health system began offering voluntary antibody testing for COVID-19 to its 10,000-plus employees.

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