Concerned 麻豆精选 residents who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 are having a hard time getting tested.
This comes despite advice from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry telling those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to monitor themselves for symptoms, and if they鈥檙e concerned, to get tested 鈥� even if they鈥檙e not sure they have symptoms.
A number of Kelownians who were close to the city鈥檚 recent coronavirus exposures have reached out to the 麻豆精选 claiming they were denied testing due to their lack of symptoms.
As of Tuesday, July 21, Interior Health has identified more than 70 test-positive cases of the virus related to the 麻豆精选 exposures compared 鈥渙ver 60鈥� the day previous. Six employees at 麻豆精选 General Hospital also tested positive over the weekend, but no further cases among hospital staff have been reported
Dr. Susan Pollock, Interior Health鈥檚 interim chief medical health officer, said the authority鈥檚 directive is to test only those exhibiting symptoms and it鈥檚 on each individual who may have been exposed to closely monitor their symptoms.
鈥淲e know people with COVID-19 can have extremely mild symptoms,鈥� Pollock told the Capital News on Tuesday. 鈥淚n some cases, symptoms might be so mild that people just brush it off as a summer cold and not think too much of it. We鈥檙e asking people to be extra vigilant for any symptoms that they have and reminding people that if they have symptoms they should be staying home and they should seek a test.
鈥淧eople should have a very low threshold for symptoms in terms of seeking a test.鈥�
Those who are at high-risk for exposure would be identified through contact tracing and contacted individually by Interior Health, Pollock said. At that time, those people would be assessed by healthcare professionals and given recommendations as to what they should do next.
鈥淚f they do not have symptoms and they think they鈥檝e been exposed we鈥檙e recommending they monitor themselves very, very closely and if they have been in contact that they self-isolate as well,鈥� she said.
Pollock confirmed that Interior Health is working with Dr. Henry, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and 麻豆精选 Mayor Colin Basran to address the evolving situation in 麻豆精选. While not revealing the full details of what they have planned, Pollock said much of the messaging pertains to private gatherings.
鈥淲e want to remind people that they should keep them to a very small size and ideally they are outdoor gatherings,鈥� said Pollock.
She added people hosting gatherings should keep a list of names and phone numbers of those who attend to assist with contact tracing.
鈥淩ight now, it鈥檚 very important that we get that education out,鈥� Pollock said.
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said on Tuesday that adjustments are coming to public health advice and orders as a result of increases such as has been seen in 麻豆精选 in recent days.
鈥淲e also have to acknowledge that there were unorganized circumstances that were involved in this outbreak in 麻豆精选, and we have to take responsibility for those. We have to work with the owners of certain businesses to improve the circumstances in those businesses.鈥�
The 麻豆精选 Capital News has reached out to Mayor Basran for comment but has not received a response.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
@michaelrdrguez
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