Mass COVID-19 testing to occur at Kamiah Nimiipuu Health July 4

KAMIAH- The Nimiipuu Health (NMPH) Kamiah Clinic, 313 3rd St., will be conducting tests for COVID-19 on Saturday, July 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. subject to change based on the availability of testing kits.

Testing will be available for any enrolled NMPH patients or any employee of a Nez Perce Tribe entity. This is following the rise in positive COVID-19 cases and a probable exposure at the It'se Ye-Ye Casino on June 30.

The testing will occur for asymptomatic¹ and symptomtic² individuals, through the NMPH drive-thru. Patients will remain in their vehicles and medical staff will perform the swabbing. Nimiipuu Health will be utilizing nasopharyngeal swabs; the swabs will be sent to an external lab to be tested. The turnaround time for results of the swab is three to five days.

If an individual is symptomatic², they will be tested with the Abbott ID NOW analyzer, which will allow for results in approximately 15 minutes. Symptomatic² patients need to be evaluated for their care needs and this is why symptomatic² patients will be given a result with the rapid testing method. The Abbott ID NOW analyzer has a limited testing capacity and everyone cannot be tested with this machine. Their goal is to test as many community members as possible, and using an outside lab helps them to meet this goal.

Patients on site for COVID-19 testing will not be permitted in the building, unless directed to do so by staff. Public restrooms will not be available for those being tested. Staff will be fully equipped with personal protective equipment to ensure their safety as well as patient's.

Those who were directly exposed³ to a confirmed COVID-19 positive individual without a mask, but remain asymptomatic¹, it is advised to self-quarantine⁵ for 10 days. If during those 10 days they begin to have symptoms, they should call NMPH for further instruction.

If they test positive for COVID-19, they will be instructed to self-isolate⁴ for 10 days, with at least a 72-hour period of being symptom free, starting on the day they were tested. If they test positive for COVID-19 and were already in self-quarantine⁵, they should restart the 10 days for self-isolation⁴.

If needed, NMPH will consider an additional mass testing day, pending the results. NMPH appreciates everyone's patience and understanding during this trying times. For any questions, please call NMPH at (208)935-0733.

Definitions:

¹Asymptomatic- An individual not showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

²Symptomatic- An individual showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

³Direct Exposure- Being within 6 feet for longer than 10 minutes, without a mask, of a confirmed positive individual.

⁴Self-Isolation- Used to separate people infected with the virus - positive COVID-19 test - (those who are sick with symptoms and those who are symptom free) from people who are not infected. People who are in isolation should stay home until it's safe for them to be around others. In the home, anyone sick or infected should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific "sick room" or area.

⁵Self-Quarantine- Used to keep someone who has been exposed to COVID-19 positive individual away from others to reduce potential spread of the virus. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department.