CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As coronavirus continues to spread throughout our communities, we’re hearing from more and more people who are concerned they might have it.
Virtual care, helplines, screening sites, and urgent care locations are being flooded with people looking for a diagnosis.
Tryon Medical Partners set up a remote screening site at a former Rite Aid Pharmacy, where they can safely screen patients who think they have the virus.
Right now, advice is coming fast and furious from every angle, and it can be overwhelming. The first thing you should do if you think you have coronavirus – stay home.
“Unless you are having a medical emergency, you should stay in your house and contact our office by phone, so we can give you directions on what to do next,” Dr. Jennifer Womack said.
If you’re sick, Dr. Womack says showing up at the doctor’s office or emergency room unannounced puts other people at risk.
“One of our most important goals is to make sure we don’t expose our healthy patients to our sick patients,” Dr. Womack said.
Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris says there are specific qualifications for COVID-19 testing, which is why Tryon Medical Partners and other healthcare providers are screening patients ahead of time over the phone or through virtual care.
“These are not drive-thru’s for anyone who would like to be tested,” Harris said.
If you are given the go-ahead to visit a screening site, a doctor or nurse practitioner wearing protective gear will determine if you need to be screened.
First, they’ll rule out influenza via a flu test. If the flu test is negative, they’ll perform a COVID-19 test, all while you stay inside the comfort of your own care.
“Staying in your car is a really good way to isolate whatever infection you may or may not have,” Dr. Womack said.
Multiple healthcare providers have opened screening sites like Tryon Medical Partners, including Novant Health and Atrium Health.
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