January 14, 2022
Harrisburg, PA (January 14, 2022) – The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) and Pennsylvania’s hospital community urge Pennsylvanians to choose non-emergency settings for routine COVID-19 tests to help ensure that strained hospital emergency departments are available to treat patients who require acute care.
Appropriate testing options for people who are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms include:
For people experiencing mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms, testing is also available at many urgent care centers and community health centers.
At-home COVID-19 rapid tests are available at some pharmacies and President Joe Biden announced this week that the federal government will launch a website next week for American households to order free at-home tests to be shipped to their homes.
Pennsylvania hospitals are strained—with many at or approaching capacity—due a combination of rising COVID-19 cases, the flu and other seasonal illnesses, a severe health care staffing shortage, and an influx of patients requiring more intensive care due to care being delayed earlier in the pandemic. The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 surged to a record high this week, driven by the holiday season and the new Omicron variant.
As of January 9:
By seeking routine COVID-19 tests in more appropriate settings and not hospital emergency departments, Pennsylvanians can help ensure hospitals are available to provide care to those who need it most.
Tags: Access to Care | COVID-19
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