Cleveland Clinic changing the way they test patients for coronavirus

[OhioChick]

Source: Newsnet5

10:14 PM, Mar 17, 2020

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Clinic is changing the way they test patients for coronavirus.

“Following overwhelming demand for testing we have made the decision to reserve COVID-19 testing for patients who are at the highest risk. We currently have a supply of testing swabs on hand, however, we did not fully anticipate the impact of the crisis in Italy which is where the swabs are manufactured. We hope to continue to receive additional supplies, which will be a key part of our decision-making," the clinic said. "In the first four days of activating our public testing sites, we tested more than 2,200 patients with a small number of test results positive for COVID-19. We currently have 2,100 more patients waiting to be tested."

Starting on Wednesday, they will be prioritizing high risk patients to be tested at the W.O Walker testing facility on Euclid avenue.

Patients that are 60 and under, who have a doctor's order, are being asked to isolate themselves and not report to the testing facility.

Cleveland Clinic patients with a doctor's order will no longer be tested at the Landerbrook location.

Read more: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/continuing-coverage/coronavirus/cleveland-clinic-changing-the-way-they-test-patients-for-coronavirus

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Running out of tests.............

[littlemissmartypants]

1. It's my understanding, based on what I've read, is that

China experienced a similar situation and started using chest ultrasounds, x-rays to diagnose. As a result they were able to identify cases quickly. Unfortunately, many of those identified this way were in later stages of the disease ( Covid-19) and had less favorable prognosis and poor outcomes.

[OhioChick]

2. I've read the same

The only problem here is the uninsured and under-insured.

I'm sure they'll stay at home due to the lack of insurance and worry of finances to get some form of treatment or medical care until it's too late.

[littlemissmartypants]

5. This whole thing is so f*cked up and I'm starting to get damned angry.

I am so sorry about your situation and feeling so helpless. Stay encouraged, OhioChick. I am hoping to make it to the other side but it's starting to get scary and I'm feeling jaded. But you stay strong. ❤

[OhioChick]

20. Thank you kindly

[hlthe2b]

4. They used CT scans with computer assist for quickest processing. Unforunately they have portable CT

scanners and lots of them and thus could perform many many many more than we can each day. X-rays are useful and can be portable, but CT's pick up the lung pathology more clearly and earlier.

CT's are typically performed in small rooms and units like MRI's in this country. Here's a typical unit


and here is a portable unit widely available in China, but it but less available in this country:

[oldsoftie]

7. But early on, it hasnt gotten into the lungs yet, right?

It would be better to be able to catch it as soon as possible

[lagomorph777]

9. Right.

[Igel]

14. Really just for record keeping

and isolation/quarantine.

There's no treatment for the symptoms after the label's applied that isn't equally called for before the label's applied.

It's "Oh, you have these symptoms because of COVID. That means we do ________" = "Oh, you have these symptoms. That means we do __________."

In fact, if somebody has those symptoms, it's likely that you/care giver/nurse/doctor will assume COVID, not for current treatment but just for what to watch out for as the illness progresses.

And if you suffer from the symptoms, it really doesn't matter at this point if it's the flu or COVID. Why? Because if it's the flu, is it really okay to say, "Gee, here's the flu virus--enjoy!" Esp. since if COVID's piled on top a day or week later the result is bad. You have the symptoms, you avoid others, whatever the actual virus may be.

We have a psychological need to name the thing that we suffer from, to reify it. Just like we invent deities to have to blame and ascribe causation of things like lightning and floods to. Humans hate random shit without a name or some being behind it and we're more than capable of making things up to satisfy our emotional and psychological needs.

[titaniumsalute]

16. This is a great post

Basically that is what the Cleveland Clinic is saying. They did 2200 test and very few came back positive. So they were probably wasting time, money, resources. If someone is having the symptoms of Covid stay the hell home and quarantine for a few weeks. Whether a cold, flu, or Covid, you won't be spreading it to others anyway.

[OhioChick]

22. Their testing protocol changed because (as per article)

"We currently have a supply of testing swabs on hand, however, we did not fully anticipate the impact of the crisis in Italy which is where the swabs are manufactured."

I certainly don't believe their numbers.

[hlthe2b]

15. Earlier than expected

[Igel]

13. If you look at the Chinese numbers, there's a huge jump

on one day day. That's an artefact.

They went from PCR-based tests to "clinical diagnosis" as an acceptable basis for IDing COVID cases.

It's fallible, but once there's enough of the stuff around compared to the flu or other respiratory problems the error becomes small.

[titaniumsalute]

17. So in other words

The Covid impact on lungs will look different than other respiratory situations and they will soon be able to quickly realize what it looks like thus a diagnoses of Covid or other?

[EarthFirst]

3. That is happening daily here in Rochester NY

Symptomatic people are being sent home and told to presume they are positive and ordered to self-quarantine due to not being a high risk case.

It’s rumored that the DOH has an extremely low number of test kits available; so they have begun to prioritize testing.

Similar situations are also being reported in Binghamton and Syracuse by friends and colleagues in the medical field.

PPE is also in critical demand as well.

The numbers are being cooked. The rates of infection right now are likely 5-10 times what is being reported.

[lagomorph777]

11. I don't think 5-10x is likely. I think 20x is closer to the truth.

[mitch96]

6. I've read their way of managing it was if you have a fever and dry cough you go to

the virus testing center.. The medical professionals double check your temperature. If it's high you get tested for the regular flu. If negative you get tested for bacterial pneumonia, If negative you get a quick 4 or 5 slice CT scan looking for ground glass appearance common to C-19 If positive you THEN get the C-19 test.
In China/South Korea/Taiwan and Singapore have the plan in place and it seems to be working as the number of cases are going down...YMMV
Wash your hands...
m

[Firestorm49]

8. This is the most sickening part of the whole mess........

To have to decide who lives and who dies in a world that can manufacture entire product lines with barely an employee, with so much corporate money that any problem could be solved efficiently and quickly, with banks hemorrhaging money that could go into emergency portable ER facilities like China did is an assault on humanity. This is America at its worst, something I never dreamed I would witness in my life.

But no, this administration and its blind and heartless supporters believe only in the survival of the fittest (damn you, Darwin), money, and power. They are unable to grasp the magnitude of this mess. And why? Answer: to be re-elected.

To quote Firesign Theater, “we’re all bozos on this bus.”

[lagomorph777]

10. For Dog's sake, we INVENTED Q-Tips. We can't make them now???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_swab

The first mass-produced cotton swab was developed in 1923 by Polish-American Leo Gerstenzang[3] after he watched his wife attach wads of cotton to toothpicks.[4] His product, originally named "Baby Gays", "Q-tips Baby Gays", and finally just "Q-tips" (meaning Quality tips) went on to become the most widely sold brand name of cotton swabs/buds.

[oldsoftie]

12. I think this is going to do more to bring mfg back to the US than anything Trump has done.

For instance, i never knew we get almost all of our medicine from CHINA. How stupid is it to let an adversary make your damn MEDICINE??

[dugog55]

18. Not stupid, cost effective

Ever since the 80's when the only important item to corporations was the bottom line, everything else takes a back seat. If they can get the medicine made cheaper in China, or anywhere for that matter, that is where it is going to be made. Every extra nickel counts when you are a multi-billion dollar a year company.

[oldsoftie]

19. Well, i look for that to change with enough pressure from the public.

We've always been our own worst enemy; wanting everything cheap so make it wherever.
I hope that changes. Im willing to pay more for local stuff. Always try to before this

[OhioChick]

21. Drug Shortages Already Happening

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/