Don Contact & Droplet PPE before assessing patient i.e. procedure/surgical mask, eye/face protection, gown, gloves
For patients whom pre-triage/triage have screened as positive for COVID-19 symptoms/risk factors
Complete patient history (including confirming travel and exposure history) and physical exam
Consider COVID-19 testing if the patient has new or worse, and unexplained symptoms from the Expanded Symptoms list:
Conjunctivitis/red eye/chemosis (conjunctival edema)
Nausea/sudden loss of appetite
Any additional symptoms at clinician’s discretion (e.g. skin manifestations such as “COVID toes")
If there is a plausible, alternate (non-COVID-19) clinical diagnosis AND patient does not have any risk factors as determined by the MRHP, COVID-19 testing is not required
Patients who meet the expanded symptom criteria and who do not have other risk factors do not require Contact and Droplet precautions
All patients being admitted to hospital with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should be tested
All symptoms/risks will be communicated to the receiving unit on admission
For questions on test appropriateness and information on TDG B shipping requirements, call the ProvLab Virologist on-call (VOC) in Edmonton 780-407-8822 or Calgary 403-333-4942
COVID-19 testing requests can be made through your site’s clinical information system or by submitting respiratory specimens with the Serology and Molecular Testing Requisition and writing “COVID-19” in the bottom box (Specify Other Serology and Molecular Tests)
Presenting symptoms, date of symptom onset and travel history, including country of travel and return date, MUST be included
Advise all patients and co-travelers to follow public health directions to self-isolate. Self-isolation recommendations are available here
Guidelines