NJAASC has curated authoritative information and a list of resources for our Membership’s reference. We will continue to update this as more information becomes available.
PAST COVID E-BLAST HAVE BEEN ARCHIVED DUE TO SPACE RESTRAINTS AND TO KEEP THINGS CURRENT.
CHANGES TO THE ED REVISION, AND CLARIFICATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS – 7/29/20
We pointed out a few things to the Department and they agreed with us and initiated changes.
In addition, I wanted to clarify a few issues from centers.
CHANGES:
Page 11 portal reporting was listed as daily when it is weekly- every Monday.
Page 8: They qualified and added detail regarding what tests must be used, and included language that states in no uncertain terms that antigen testing is not allowed.
We have long sought this wording, as centers have continued to use Antigen testing even after the Department has stated it is not acceptable.
I will again say what has been stated by NJAASC no less than six times within COVID e-blasts- direct from Dr. Kirn, Medical Director, Clinical Labs, NJDOH.
NO ANTIGEN TESTING!!!!!
It does not matter what FDA says in EUA, nor what the test company puts out in revised testing data. You go by what your state says and they say:
NO ANTIGEN TESTING
.
Unfortunately, there are still centers doing this and knowingly by the way. The Department has gone out to several of those centers and investigated them, so beware!
Also look on page 8, c- we had one word changed from previous ED.
The test performed by the laboratory must be…..
Previously it read: should be. So the intent is very obvious.
TIME SENSITIVE CASES VS OPTION #2
Some people thought that time sensitive was removed/replaced, it has not been.
There is a BIG difference by the way between Time Sensitive and Option #2.
Time sensitive are for all intents and purposes emergency. You must test, but then the next day you could perform it, following the IC precautions -page 9, ii.
Option #2- you must wait the entire six days before you invoke this option. And if you do, well you treat the patient as if COVID positive and use all the IC precautions (air exchange, room rate, PPE etc) as outlined on page 9, ii.
This is NJAASC working for you and your patients in an attempt to make the testing process work as smoothly as possible.
WE ARE RECOGNIZED BY ASCA FOR OUR EFFORTS WITH COVID AND TESTING -7/29/20
ASCA has recognized the efforts of NJAASC in dealing with COVID-19 issues and testing, and our interaction and collaboration with our Department of Health. In fact they are planning to share our model and how and what we have accomplished over the past several weeks as a template for other states to use, to assist them with these issues.
WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET! – 7/29/20
While we are certainly doing well and much better than other states, we have seen 500 new COVID cases reported for the third time in four days.
And the state has increased the quarantine travel list to over 30 states and territories.
Stay vigilant!
