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0000017b-652b-d50a-a3ff-f7efb02e0000KPCW's COVID-19 news coverage for Summit County and Wasatch County, Utah. 0000017b-652b-d50a-a3ff-f7efb02f0000You can also visit the Utah Department of Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization websites for additional information.

University of Utah Health Increases Capacity To 1,500 COVID-19 Tests Per Day

Courtesy of ARUP Laboratories

A significant increase in COVID-19 testing is being made available to the state of Utah. That could include drive through testing in Summit County, possibly by the end of the week.

 

On Monday, the University of Utah Health and ARUP laboratories announced they had increased their capacity to test for COVID-19 to 1,500 tests per day. ARUP is also working to add instrumentation and anticipates a capacity of more than 3,000 tests a day in the coming weeks, dependent on access to necessary supplies. CEO of University of Utah Health Michael Good announced additionally that those who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 will be able to receive tests at four drive-through testing centers throughout Salt Lake and Davis counties, regardless of their travel or contact history.

 

“This expanded testing capability will be delivered at our in-car testing sites which are located at Sugarhouse, South Jordan, Farmington, Redwood and beginning later this week, Park City.” Good continued, “The Park City testing site is being developed in partnership with Intermountain Healthcare.”

 

At the moment U of U Health does have limited testing capabilities at their Redstone Clinic. Whether the drive-through testing site is located near The U’s Redstone clinic in Kimball Junction, at the Intermountain Park City Hospital campus in Quinn’s Junction, or somewhere else entirely in Summit County has not yet been announced.

 

Although the U prefers that patients call ahead of time to have a preliminary evaluation, the U’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard Orlandi explained that evaluation can also happen at the testing site.

 

“We’ll see the patient in car and evaluate their symptoms,” Orlandi explained. “Take some initial vital signs like a temperature and an oxygen level. Then we will be able to determine whether the patient needs that testing. If they do, we can then perform the test in the car. The whole process is done while the patients in the car. It preserves our ability to use a smaller amount of personal protective equipment and also minimizes the inconvenience to our patient.”

 

Tests results can be delivered within 24 hours, but prioritization has been given to hospitalized patients and health care workers. All other testing results can be expected to be available within 48 hours.

 

There will be a cost for testing and in-car evaluation, but U of U health says they are working with insurers and patients to make the tests widely available.

 Utah Department of Health Epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said that with the increase in testing available through the U and ARUP, the entire state capacity for testing has been raised to 2,600 a day as of Tuesday.

 

“We anticipate and we hope that with this increase we are going to be at able to identify more people who have COVID- 19, so that they are aware of the need to self-isolate until they get better,” Dunn said. “That will help prevent the spread of disease.”

 

With the additional tests the Utah Department of Health has expanded evaluation as well. Those with fever, cough, shortness of breath can be evaluated through a test. 

KPCW reporter David Boyle covers all things in the Heber Valley as well as sports and breaking news.
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