COVID-19 Testing Being Conducted at Both Sanford and Avera

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to grow across the country, there is a bit of good news, getting tested for the virus should become more accessible here in the Sioux Empire.

Dakota News Now is reporting that both Sanford and Avera Hospitals here in Sioux Falls announced on Monday (March 23) they have been verified by the South Dakota Department of Health to perform COVID-19 tests.

There has been widespread concerns there wasn't enough coronavirus testing being done throughout South Dakota. Monday's news should go a long way in helping to quell those concerns.

According to Dakota News Now, hundreds of more tests will be able to be completed each day thanks to the Department of Health verifying both Sanford and Avera.

Bruce Prouse, MD, Clinical Vice President of the Avera Laboratory told Dakota News Now, "The state has been overrun, and has done a great job of trying to deal with this on the front line, so we're here to try and help reduce and spread out some of the laboratory testing so that they are not so inundated."

Having both of these excellent labs working together for South Dakota residents will only help to provide public health officials more data about the spread of COVID-19 in communities across the state.

Prouse told Dakota News Now, "The most critically ill and highly suspicious tests will receive priority. We have to be able to triage who needs to be tested, who needs to be monitored closely."

Now that both Sanford and Avera are working on COVID-19 testing, the hope is to process more than 500 tests per day, with the possibility of that number potentially doubling in the coming weeks.

Source: Dakota News Now

Enter your number to get our free mobile app