How can I get tested for coronavirus in Columbus? Latest from hospitals, health department
COVID-19’s risk to the general public in the Columbus area remains low as Georgia reports its first death related to the disease. Cases globally continue to rise and the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global pandemic.
Johns Hopkins University, which maintains an interactive map of COVID-19 cases worldwide, reports nearly 128,000 cases have been confirmed as of March 12. Of those, 68,310 people have recovered and 4,718 are dead.
Georgia reported its first COVID-19-related death Thursday. The 67-year-old man had underlying medical conditions. He tested positive for COVID-19 on March 7 and had been hospitalized since.
The disease first appeared in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. It is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.
There remain no confirmed or presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 here, but officials are taking precautions and preparing. Health officials also say there’s confusion over testing details.
Here’s what you need to know.
What’s going on in Georgia, and what measures should I be taking?
As of March 11, there are 12 confirmed and 19 presumptive positive COVID-19 cases. A presumptive positive means a person has tested positive for COVID-19 at a state or local lab, but the results have not been confirmed by the CDC.
Presumptive:
▪ Fulton 3
▪ Cobb 6
▪ Fayette 1
▪ DeKalb 4
▪ Gwinnett 2
▪ Cherokee 1
▪ Charlton 1
▪ Lowndes 1
Confirmed:
▪ Fulton 3
▪ Floyd 2
▪ Polk 1
▪ Cobb 2
▪ Bartow 3
▪ Lee 1
Elderly people and people with chronic medical conditions may have an increased risk for COVID-19.
According to the state Department of Public Health, the best prevention measures for any respiratory virus are:
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
If you have recently traveled to areas where there are ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 and develop fever with cough and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel, or if you have had contact with someone who is suspected to have COVID-19, stay home and call your health care provider or local health department right away. Be sure to call before going to a medical facility and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
What is Columbus doing, and how do I get tested?
Columbus-area agencies remain in contact as they prepare for possible COVID-19 cases. Conversations about canceling large-scale public events are taking place, said Pamela Kirkland, spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Public Health’s West Central Health District.
Those who have symptoms or believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should call their health care provider before visiting. The health care provider will determine if a person needs to be tested.
The West Central Health District at this time does not take the samples or perform testing, Kirkland said.
An urgent care facility or your primary care doctor should be able to take the nasal and throat swabs for COVID-19 testing. Those samples are then sent off for testing. If lab results from those initial tests are positive, the results are sent to the CDC for confirmation, she said.
Columbus-area hospitals are taking measures to prepare for COVID-19.
Piedmont Columbus Regional is working closely with the state Department of Health. The hospital is one of four Tier 1 treatment hospitals for Serious Infectious Diseases in the state, said spokesperson Jessica Roberts in a statement.
As of last week, the hospital system established a system-wide incident command center to monitor and address COVID-19 related issues. Leadership at each of Piedmont’s hospitals have implemented new restrictions for visitors. Those restrictions depend on an area’s specific COVID-19 situation.
Pre-entry screenings for COVID-19 symptoms are taking place at the Midtown and Northside Campus emergency departments in Columbus using the CDC’s updated COVID-19 indicators.
“We have been able to test patients our physicians suspect of having COVID-19,” she said.
As of early March, St. Francis-Emory Healthcare has screened patients in the emergency department, inpatient units and other entry points based on their recent travel history, among other COVID-19 related precautions, according to a statement on the hospital’s website.
What have some Columbus businesses and institutions done?
Columbus-area businesses and institutions have taken precautions to prevent the spread or limit the impact of COVID-19.
Aflac, the Columbus-based insurer, continues to limit international travel in Japan and the United States to only critical instances. A temporary call center employee in Kobe, Japan, previously tested positive for COVID-19. The company said it took preventative steps following the positive test to prevent the spread of the infection.
The company is also testing its ability to have some of its U.S. employees work from home as COVID-19 concerns grow. Aflac has 5,507 employees in the U.S. with 3,509 who work in Columbus, said spokesperson Jon Sullivan.
“This is to ensure business continuity in the event of a greater need for employees to work remotely. Our goal is to adequately measure our ability to have 50% of our workforce work from home,” said Teresa White, President Aflac, U.S., in a statement.
Global Payments placed a company-wide moratorium on corporate travel to Asia Pacific countries, excluding Australia and New Zealand, in early February. The company also instituted a 14-day, self-quarantine requirement for employees who visited China, South Korea, Italy and Iran. Employees who have had contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must also self-quarantine, said spokesperson Emily Edmonds in a statement.
Since early March, the company has prohibited all cross border travel without executive approval. Any traveling within the United States is limited to important business meetings. The company said it is supporting at-risk employees who must work from home, and some employees are being asked to work from home to test the company’s business continuity plans, she said.
“We have also put precautionary measures in place in all offices to safeguard our team members and help avoid exposure to the virus,” Edmonds said. “These include face masks, anti-bacterial hand gel, and increased frequency in cleaning key areas such as door handles, reception areas, team member kitchens and washrooms. Additionally, we’ve provided mandatory training to educate all team members about the virus and what they can do to help protect themselves.”
Columbus State University has canceled spring and summer international programs in China, South Korea and Italy. The university has also advised faculty to cancel any travel plans to these counties, said spokesperson Greg Hudgison.
Fort Benning is screening personnel who arrive at the military installation for training, said spokesperson Benjamin Garrett.
Magnolia Manor — a senior living community with nine locations across Georgia, including Columbus — is limiting entry to their facilities and screening employees, family members, visitors, volunteers and contractors. Families are encouraged not to visit as a precaution, but immediate family members are allowed to visit guests in their room during posted visiting hours, according to a company news release
The U.S. Navy Band canceled the remainder of its tour, which included a March 12 stop at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, venue officials said in a news release.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 12:21 PM.