COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
|
OCTOBER 8, 2020 |
9A
Major testing increase to bolster state’s COVID-19 containment strategy
Tuesday, the Oregon
Health Authority (OHA)
announced a major ex-
pansion of testing for
COVID-19 in Oregon
that will strengthen the
state’s strategy to suppress
the virus.
Starting this week, Or-
egon will receive between
60,000 and 80,000 Abbott
BinaxNOW rapid point-
of-care antigen tests per
week through the end of
December.
Oregon will receive the
new tests as a result of a
time-limited supply of
testing capacity federal
officials have allocated to
states.
The new additional rap-
id antigen tests will nearly
double Oregon’s testing
capacity, which will help
physicians and health of-
ficials identify more peo-
ple who are infected with
COVID-19 and — over
time — reduce transmis-
sion, prevent new cases
(and hospitalizations) and
sustain the state’s reopen-
ing.
OHA also broadened its
testing guidelines to sup-
plement the added testing
capacity. The new guide-
lines recommend test-
ing for anyone who has
symptoms of COVID-19
regardless of the severity
of those symptoms, along
with testing of all close
contacts of those individ-
uals, regardless of whether
they shown symptoms.
The tests yield quick re-
sults, in as little as 15 min-
utes. But there are limita-
tions. The rapid antigen
tests must be administered
by a trained professional
or at a location that meets
certain federal standards
for laboratory testing.
As in other forms of
COVID-19 testing, posi-
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tive results are considered
reliable. However, false
negative tests are com-
mon, even among asymp-
tomatic individuals.
Health officials cau-
tioned that people who
test negative under any
form of COVID-19 test
should continue to exer-
cise caution and practice
personal actions to pre-
vent transmission. OHA
public health physician
Melissa Sutton, M.D., said,
“Even if you have a nega-
tive test, it’s important to
wear a mask, stay physi-
cally distant from other
people (especially older
people or those with un-
derlying medical condi-
tions), avoid large gather-
ings and wash your hands
thoroughly.”
State health officials
said the new tests will
bolster a strategy that has
kept Oregon’s COVID-19
case rates low compared
to other states.
Along with testing, Or-
egon’s strategy has relied
on guidance that has em-
phasized face coverings
and physical distancing,
as well as robust case in-
vestigation and contact
tracing, isolation and
quarantine, and targeted
interventions in hotspot
counties and for vulnera-
ble populations.
Since May, state and
local health officials have
more than doubled the
number of contact tracers
in Oregon — this week
there are more than 1,290
contact tracers and case
investigators
working
to contain the spread of
COVID-19.
The first 15,000 Binax-
NOW tests were deployed
to counties and long-term
care facilities affected by
recent wildfires.
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colleges and universities
through
school-based
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community partners.
Some tests will be main-
tained as a strategic re-
serve to ensure a supply
beyond December (when
the current allocation is
scheduled to end) and to
be used to contain major
outbreaks in counties.
In addition, OHA will
prioritize testing for com-
munities hardest hit by
COVID-19:
• Migrant and seasonal
farmworkers.
• Communities of color
and tribal communities.
• Residents of congre-
gate care settings.
• Plans call for eventu-
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