Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Tough test
Technology to be used for frontline health care workers
Nurse Julie Palmer consoles Luca’Brasi Means, 4, after swabbing his nose Friday to test for covid-19 at a drive-through testing site at Mercy Convenient Care in Bentonville. Go to nwaonline.com/200425Daily/ for today’s photo gallery.
FAYETTEVILLE — Community Clinic, which has four coronavirus screening sites in Northwest Arkansas, now has the technology to have test results in 15 minutes, according to a news release from the clinic.
“Because of extremely limited supply for this innovative test, priority is given to frontline healthcare workers to ensure they can continue to do their essential work in the face of possible exposure,” according to the news release.
Community Clinic will continue to collect specimens from most people to be tested at commercial labs. Most test results are available within a day or two, according to Abbie Luzius, community development manager for the clinic.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson over the past few days urged any Arkansan with covid-19 symptoms to seek testing. Symptoms include coughing, fever and shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and loss of taste or smell, according to a revised list from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Community Clinic tested 547 people from March 30 through Thursday, Luzius said.
Community Clinic has closed its screening clinic at Elmdale Elementary School in Springdale to increase staff at its office on Emma Avenue, according to the release.
Several clinics in Northwest
Arkansas are screening people for coronavirus. Most are generally collecting specimens via mouth or nasal swabs and sending them to be tested at commercial labs or the Arkansas Department of Health.
Mercy Health System collected specimens to be tested from 1,113 people from March 20 through Thursday, according to Jennifer Cook, spokeswoman. People who suspect they have covid-19 must call Mercy’s call center and be screened and make an appointment before going to Mercy’s evaluation site in Bentonville.
Washington Regional Medical System saw 2,110 people at its screening and respiratory illness clinics in Fayetteville from March 16 through Thursday, according to Cynthia Crowder, spokeswoman.
Crowder said most test results take a day or two. Washington Regional doesn’t report how many people it tests for covid-19. The medical system’s coronavirus screening hotline received 11,475 calls from March 16 through Thursday, according to Crowder.
Washington County had 62 covid-19 cases and two deaths as of 5:15 p.m. Friday, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. Benton County had 71 cases.
Alex Golden can be reached by email at agolden@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWAalexgolden.