MDHHS Expands COVID-19 Testing Criteria to Better Protect Residents; Greater access is important as Michigan reopens state economy

Source: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163-530157–,00.html

MDHHS COVID-19 test prioritization criteria is now as follows:

High Priority:

• Hospitalized patients with symptoms.
• Any health care worker, first responder, or congregate care facility worker with symptoms.
• Residents in any congregate care facility, including prisons and shelters, with symptoms.

Priority:

• Persons with symptoms of potential COVID-19 infection, including:
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Muscle pain.
  • New loss of taste or smell.
  • Vomiting or diarrhea.
  • Sore throat.
• Asymptomatic patients in preparation for surgical procedures, as deemed necessary by the treating clinician.
• Asymptomatic people with known exposure to a person with COVID-19 or exposure to a person with COVID-19 symptoms.
• Asymptomatic people living or working in a congregate care facility or other high-risk setting (such as nursing home, jail, prison, homeless shelter, assisted living facility, etc.) that:
  • Had a confirmed case among residents or workers.
  • Is located in a region of medium risk or higher, or
  • Is receiving patients from an area of medium risk or higher.
• Asymptomatic people who work in a profession that puts them at high risk of exposure, including:
  • Repeated close contact of prolonged duration with the public.
  • Working in a high-risk profession where clusters of infections have been identified (such as migrant workers, food processing facilities, etc.).
  • Working in-person during a period of strict social distancing or, in areas with some sectors re-opening, having worked in-person during the period of strict social distancing.
• Persons identified by clinicians or public health officials who can be tested for public health monitoring research purposes.
• People without symptoms who live in communities where there has been inequitable access to testing and a need to increase the rate of people tested per day – such as areas with higher proportion of racial/ethnic minorities, rural communities.

Permissible:

• Persons without symptoms who are prioritized by local health departments or clinicians, for any reason.
• Asymptomatic people living or working in a congregate care facility or other high-risk setting (such as a nursing home, jail, prison, homeless shelter, assisted living facility) in any region.
• Asymptomatic people leaving their home for work.