TAMPA, Fla. — Getting screened for COVID-19 may be as easy as opening up your computer or grabbing your phone.
BayCare Health System launched a new online screening tool after opening drive-thru testing sites last week.
“When we looked at the initial stats on the drive-thru testing, I think we ended up turning away 40 to 50 percent of the people coming through, with the notion that if you don’t have symptoms and you don’t have contact, you really just don’t need to be tested at this point,” said BayCare’s Dr. Alan Weiss.
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The screening process includes a series of questions, such as "what are your symptoms and risk factors."
The tool won’t test you, give a diagnosis or treatment. Instead, it offers up care options, like recommending testing or self-isolation.
“It was used 12,000 times. I bet there were some people who went in multiple times and tried to look at the answers under different circumstances, so a lot of good use of this tool in just a single day,” said Weiss.
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Dr. Weiss thinks this online tool will alleviate the number of people turned away if they know in advance if they should seek help.
"It’s quicker than calling up some of our nurse triage lines, trying to get a physician on the phone or going somewhere to get the answers."
To screen yourself or a family member, visit https://baycare.clearstep.health/covid19.
