By rdnewsNOW staff

prioritizing testing

Province announces change in COVID-19 testing approach

Mar 23, 2020 | 7:51 AM

The Alberta government has announced a new approach to testing for COVID-19 that aims to prioritize groups at highest risk of local exposure, and at-risk populations.

Officials say travelers who returned to Alberta after March 12 and have mild symptoms will no longer be tested for COVID-19. Instead, the same advice applied to all Albertans will apply to them – to self-isolate at home and away from others.

This change is effective going forward, so anyone who has already been told by Health Link that they will be tested will still get tested.

“Changing our testing protocols will allow us to focus Alberta’s testing capacity on those most at risk,” says Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Chief Medical Officer of Health, in a release sent out Monday. “This is consistent with the approach happening across Canada. It will enable us to strategically use our testing resources.”

“Our new approach reflects the fact that the most important thing anyone can do if they have mild symptoms isn’t to get tested,” adds Hinshaw. “It’s to stay home and self-isolate.”

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Testing will be prioritized for the following individuals, if they are symptomatic:

• People who are hospitalized with respiratory illness.
• Residents of continuing care and other similar facilities.
• People who returned from travelling abroad between March 8 and March 12 (before the self-isolation protocols were in place).
• Health-care workers with respiratory symptoms (this testing will begin later this week).

Anyone with symptoms who does not fit any of these categories should stay home and self-isolate for a minimum of 10 days from the start of their symptoms, or until symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.

Officials note the online self-assessment tool has also been updated to reflect the change in testing for returning travelers.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is building extra capacity to be able to provide advice to returning travelers with symptoms, ensuring they are following proper medical directions, including staying home and away from others, and monitoring their symptoms.

These new resources are expected to be in place later this week.

Related information

• COVID-19 info for Albertans
• AHS self-assessment tool