KITTITAS – Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested immediately. Symptoms or combinations of symptoms may include cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, or other less common symptoms like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. The sooner someone gets tested after symptoms appear the less chance of spreading COVID-19.

We know that a major concern for people who are staying home because of COVID-19 is the fear that they have spread COVID-19 to someone else. People are always worried that they have possibly spread this to family or friends or someone else they have been in contact with.  Getting tested as soon as symptoms appear decreases this chance.

At this time, there is an ample supply of tests available, so anyone with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 can get tested.  The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) recommends testing anyone with symptoms and recommends testing for people with likely exposures such as close contacts or exposures in outbreak situations.  DOH testing information can be found at https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/NovelCoronavirusOutbreak2020COVID19/TestingforCOVID19.  Locally, the Kittitas County Incident Management Team (IMT) has asked that anyone who attended a protest, demonstration, or rally also consider getting tested (five days after attendance).

There should be no cost to you as a patient for testing, whether you have insurance or not (DOH).  For more information about testing coverage, visit the Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington State or the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.

If you have questions about your health, please contact your healthcare provider or you can call the Temporary COVID Clinic at KVH at 509-933-8850.  If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the Emergency Department at KVH.  If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call the EOC at 509-933-8315 or 509-933-8305.