Windom, MN April 22, 2020 – Windom Area Health is planning limited COVID-19 curbside screening, projected to start as early as Thursday or Friday, April 23rd or 24th.
The screening location will be located in the main parking lot on the hospital campus. At this time, screening will be limited to targeted community populations, and will not be immediately available to the public.
Shelby Medina, Windom Area Health CEO, explains, “Supplies related to testing are limited, but it’s critical for the health of our community that we begin screening certain populations. There is a screening process to determine whether a test is warranted.”
Community members not contacted for curbside screening, should seek care through their primary care clinic or emergency room if experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms, including cough, shortness of breathing, chest pain or pressure, and sore throat.
Those being screened will need to call ahead. Patients will remain in the car during the duration of the screening process. When arriving at the hospital, patients will be registered, screened for symptoms, and assessed by a provider. A nasal swab collection will be performed as deemed necessary. Test results will be available between 24-48 hours.
Medina continues, “At a point where supplies are more readily available and we can open the testing up to the public, we will communicate that out via local radio, newspaper and social media.”
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