CDC Releases Consolidated Recommendations for COVID-19 Testing

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Atlanta, GA, USA) has released consolidated recommendations for COVID-19 testing, including interim testing guidelines for nursing home residents and healthcare personnel.

These recommendations which compile and update previous testing guidance also include testing strategy options for high-density critical infrastructure workplaces after a COVID-19 case is identified. The consolidated recommendations for testing, Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2, have been developed based on what is currently known about COVID-19 and are subject to be changed by the CDC as additional information becomes available.

The current CDC recommendations are for testing people who have signs or symptoms of COVID-19; have no symptoms but recently had contact with someone known or suspected to have COVID-19; have no symptoms and no known contact with someone known or suspected to have COVID-19 but still may be tested for early identification in special settings; have had confirmed COVID-19 but no longer have symptoms; and may be tested by public health officials to track spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Testing Guidelines for Nursing Homes is an important addition to other infection prevention and control (IPC) recommendations aimed at keeping COVID-19 out of nursing homes (as well as other long-term care facilities), detecting cases quickly if they do occur, and stopping further transmission in these facilities. The CDC’s updated recommendations include recommendation against testing the same individual more than once in a 24-hour period; consideration for testing residents with symptoms for other causes of respiratory illness, such as influenza; and coordination of repeat testing in response to outbreaks with local, territorial, and state health departments.

The CDC has also recommended that appropriate workplace protections, such as engineering and administrative controls, for those present in the workplace should remain in place. Additionally, the CDC’s Testing Strategy for Coronavirus (COVID-19) in High-Density Critical Infrastructure Workplaces after a COVID-19 Case is Identified presents different testing strategy options for exposed co-workers when public health organizations and employers determine testing is needed to help support existing disease control measures. Such strategies can aid in identifying infectious individuals with the goal of reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace.

Related Links:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)