JACKSON, Wyo. — St. John’s Health has decided to postpone antibody testing for hospital employees until more thorough research has been done and tests have been approved by the FDA, CEO Paul Beaupré announced in a community update today.
There’s only so much we can do with antibody test results, said County Health Officer Travis Riddell, especially because health officials still don’t know if exposure to COVID-19 means immunity.
“We don’t know what to do with information with this test,” Riddell said.
The immediate priority, Beaupré said, is increasing access to PCR testing to diagnose current cases.
“I still think the information that will be gleaned will be important, but it may be a little early to test now,” he said.
In a statement on St. John’s Health’s website, Beaupré said he “cautions the community to not leap too quickly to testing platforms that will fail to meet our needs.”
There’s an app for that
While physical distancing is still the norm and person-to-person interaction is limited, technology has stepped in to fill in the gaps.
For mental health support, the Community Counseling Center is offering an app that allows users to build a personal profile, track health, and receive personalized tools and tips.
Because testing is limited and many hospitals, including St. John’s, are requiring telehealth visits before being tested in person, the CDC has launched a “Coronavirus self-checker” that allows you to report your symptoms in an app and make more informed decisions about seeking appropriate medical care. The app is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any disease or condition, including COVID-19.
Other updates
The Wyoming Department of Health is now reporting probable cases on its website, defined as cases that are linked to lab-confirmed cases but have not been tested. In Teton County, there are 19 probable cases in addition to the 53 lab-confirmed cases.
Teton County Health Department Director Jodie Pond emphasized the importance of continuing to follow public health orders and directives intended to mitigate COVID-19.
“We’re still in the steep upward slope,” Pond said.
Teton County Emergency Management Coordinator Rich Ochs said his team is reducing the frequency of NIXLE situation reports, from every day to three times a week. Updates will now go out Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening. Ochs encourages the public to check Emergency Management’s COVID-19 dashboard, which he admitted is a “work in progress” but provides data visualization of COVID-19 in Teton County.
