Photo: Jon Manchester

Interior Health has updated its assessment and testing guidelines for COVID-19.

A medical health officer's alert dated April 7 states that any primary care practitioner or physician may now order COVID-19 testing in Interior Health without consulting the local medical health officer.

A copy of the directive was posted to the Coronavirus Okanagan Updates & Community Support Facebook page by Dr. Pete Henley of Vernon.

The alert says testing criteria has expanded, but that "the situation continues to evolve rapidly, and the criteria for screening and testing may change."

Testing is recommended only for individuals who are symptomatic and:

• Hospitalized, or likely to be, including pregnant women in the third trimester, patients on hemodialysis, or cancer patients receiving radiation or chemotherapy
• Health-care workers in roles critical to direct patient care delivery or in roles that are critical to supporting patient care (deemed essential)
• Residents and health-care workers of long-term care facilities who develop new respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, however mild, including: fever, cough, shortness of breath, rhinorrhea, dysphagia, vomiting or diarrhea
• Residents of remote, isolated or Indigenous communities
• People living in congregate settings, such as work camps, correctional facilities and shelters
• Homeless people
• Part of an investigation of a cluster or outbreak (testing to be organized by the Community Disease Unit/medical health officer)

Testing should not be prior to 24 hours from symptom onset, says IH, as testing too early may result in a negative test.

• Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
• Low-grade fever
• Cough
• Malaise
• Runny nose
• Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea

Severe symptoms include:

• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing and/or chest pain