Testing and diagnosis supplies for COVID-19 remain at a premium due to shortages, but Flagler County remains able to test those who fall under certain criteria it said on Friday.
The county had had 290 people under investigation for COVID-19, with 27 positive tests, said Bob Snyder, public health director in Flagler County.
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The question about testing for COVID-19 remained a large one during Flagler County’s Emergency Services press conference on Friday.
Snyder said that those looking to be tested just to rule out COVID-19 don’t automatically qualify for testing due to the limited number of tests currently available.
Clinical symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath could be construed as needing to be tested. Those who are hospitalized or in a nursing home or long-term care facility. People over the age of 65 with underlying health conditions, those who are immunocompromised or those who have been exposed to someone who did test positive for COVID-19 are among the people who would fall into a category to be tested.
“There is a shortage of testing equipment. … And so that’s’ why we have to apply the testing criteria,” Snyder said.
Snyder suggested checking with one of the testing sites in the county — the health department, Advent Health Palm Coast Hospital, two urgent centers or Azalea Health.
“From what I understand today, all of those places do have enough testing collection kits to do the testing,” he said. “We appear to be in good shape here in Flagler County regarding resources all the way around. … Supplies are trickling in on a weekly basis.”
Snyder said that Advent Health Palm Coast did have an adequate number of beds available for patients in the ICU.